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 keitl, or dog. Listen to the audio below to learn how to say keitl.
The following transcript is meant to help illustrate the words and sentences.
Keiyishí Bessie Coolie: Keitl.
That means dog.
Here are some sentences:
Keiyishí Bessie Coolie: Aatlein yakʼéi ḵaa x̱ooní áwé, wé keitl.
The dog is the manʼs best friend
Keihéenák’w John Martin: Lingít has du x̱oo shayawdihaa wé keitl.
There got to be a lot of dogs among the Tlingit.
Ḵaakal.áat Florence Marks Sheakley: Ḵúnáx̱ ligei i keidlí.
Your dog is really big.
Kaxwaan Éesh George Davis: Keitlch wooyeeḵ.
The dog bit them.
You can hear each installment of Lingít Word of the Week on the radio throughout the week.
Find biographies for the master speakers included in this lesson here.
Learn more about why we use Lingít instead of Tlingit here.
