This is Lingít Word of the Week. Each week, we feature a Lingít word voiced by master speakers. Lingít has been spoken throughout present-day Southeast Alaska and parts of Canada for over 10,000 years.
Gunalchéesh to X̱’unei Lance Twitchell, Goldbelt Heritage Foundation and the University of Alaska Southeast for sharing the recorded audio for this series.
This week’s word is g̱uwakaan, or deer. Listen to the audio below to learn how to say g̱uwakaan.
The following transcript is meant to help illustrate the words and sentences.
Kooshdáakʼu Bill Fawcett: g̱uwakaan.
That means deer.
Here are some sentences:
Kooshdáakʼu Bill Fawcett: A loowú kg̱wagóot g̱uwakaan. Shákdé yei kḵwasatéen.
A deer is going to walk out on the point. Perhaps I will see it.
Keihéenák’w John Martin: G̱uwakaan dleeyi ax̱ x̱’éi yak’éi.
Deer meat tastes good.
Keiyishí Bessie Coolie: Ḵuwakaan máa yateeyí yéixʼ yei tusatínch, neilxʼ.
Sometimes we see deer at our home.
Ḵaakal.áat Florence Marks Sheakley: At ḵuwaháa ag̱aa du.únt yé yá g̱uwakaan.
The time has come for people to go deer hunting.
Kaxwaan Éesh George Davis: Shaa yadaadé kei wdlitlʼétʼ g̱uwakaan ag̱a.óonit
They climbed up towards the upper part of the mountain to shoot a deer.
You can hear each installment of Lingít Word of the Week on the radio throughout the week.
Additional language resources:
Find biographies for the master speakers included in this lesson here.
Learn more about why we use Lingít instead of Tlingit here.
