This collection of over 1,500 Tlingit example sentences and audio recordings was part of a Sealaska Heritage Institute project funded by the Administration for Native Americans between 2005 and 2009. Sentences were provided by elders Keiyishí Bessie Cooley, Kingeistí David Katzeek, Saḵaayí Anita Lafferty, Ḵooteix̱téek Johnny Marks, Aan Yax̱ Saxeex June Pegues, Ḵáachkoo.aaḵw Helen Sarabia, and G̱unaakʼw Fred White. Written examples were compiled by Keri Eggleston. Audio recordings feature the voices of Kingeistí David Katzeek, Saḵaayí Anita Lafferty, Ḵooteix̱téek Johnny Marks, Aan Yax̱ Saxeex June Pegues, Ḵáachkoo.aaḵw Helen Sarabia, and G̱unaakʼw Fred White.
Upload of this resource to this website was made possible by funding from the National Science Foundationʼs Dynamic Languages Infrastructure Program, award #BCS- 2125197 “Morphologically Complex Data Collection and Analysis for Improving Lexicographic Models” to the University of Alaska Fairbanks with Keri Eggleston as PI.
NOTE: We recommend not using Safari as your browser for this resource as it may not load properly. Please note that there are many typos, misspellings, missing tones, etc. in the written examples, as well as many places where the audio recording doesnʼt match up with the written examples in terms of word order. There are also some examples where the audio isnʼt available. The present project however, has concluded, and itʼs not possible to fix these problems at this time. In the interest of making this resource available to the community ASAP, it is being included here despite these issues. The goal during the next phase of the project will be to edit the written examples to match the audio recordings and fix any other typos and correct instances of missing audio. In the meantime, please enjoy the voices of our elders!
Index | A | C | D | E | G | H | I | J | K | L | N | P | O | S | T | U | W | X | Y
Jáaji kát yaa has lunagúk̲. They are running on snowshoes. jáaji, lu-ya-gook̲
Jánwu dleeyí aatlein yak’éi, gwál wé a s’óog̲u. Mountain goat meat is really good, especially the ribs. jánwu, dleey, aatlein, a s’óog̲u
Jánwu shaa yaax̲t woo.aat. Mountain goats are walking around on the mountain side. jánwu, shaa, ya-.aat1
Jikak̲áas' káx̲ ashayaawatée wé g̲aat atx’aan hídi yeex’. She hung the sockeye salmon on the stick in the smokehouse. jikak̲áas', a ká, A- + sha-ya-ya-tee, wé, g̲aat, atx’aan hídi, a yee, -x’
Jilk̲áatdáx̲ áwé yéi daaduné yéi x̲a.áx̲jeen yaa chíl xóok. I used to hear of smoked salmon being prepared on the Chilkat. chíl xóok, Jilk̲aat, ya-.aax̲1
Jilk̲aat K̲wáan has at shí. The Chilkat people are singing. Jilk̲aat K̲wáan
Jilk̲aat K̲wáan Tlákw Aanx’ has k̲uya.óo. The Chilkat people live in Klukwan. Jilk̲aat K̲wáan, Tlákw Aan, k̲u-ya-.oo1
Jilk̲oot K̲wáan has aax̲wsitéen. I saw some Chilkoot people. Jilk̲oot K̲wáan, si-teen
Jilk̲oot K̲wáan has al’eix̲. The Chilkoot people are dancing. Jilk̲oot K̲wáan
Jinkaat dáanaa yéi x̲’alitseen wé x’óow. That blanket costs ten dollars. jinkaat, dáanaa, x’óow
Jinkaat gáaxw wéit wusikwaan. There are ten ducks swimming around there. jinkaat, gáaxw, si-kwaan
Jinkaat g̲anook has ayatéen. They see ten petrels. jinkaat, g̲anook, ya-teen
Jinkaat kéet gooshí ayatéen wé káa shaan. The old man sees ten killerwhale dorsal fins. jinkaat, kéet, a gooshí, ya-teen, káa shaan
Jinkaat k̲aa x̲’oos a kaayí wé aas. That tree measures ten feet. a kaayí, k̲aa x̲’oos, aas, jinkaat
Jinkaat k̲a déix̲ yatee Dikée aank̲áawu du yéet ítx̲ na.aadí. There are twelve disciples of Jesus. du ítx̲ na.aadí, Dikée aank̲áawu, du yéet
Jinkaat k̲a gooshúk̲ k̲aa x̲’oos, yéi koowáat’ du yaagú. Her boat is nineteen feet long. k̲aa x̲’oos, yaakw, ya-yaat’
Jinkaat k̲a tléix' du katáagu wé shaatk’. That girl is eleven years old. jinkaat ka tléix', shaatk’, du katáagu
Jix̲an.át áwé kéit’u. A pick is a weapon. kéit'u
Johnch héent ayaawatée haa Aank̲áawu. John baptised our lord. -ch, héen- + ya-ya-tee2, haa, aank̲áawu
John Sobeloff yóo duwasáa - yaa ax̲ éesh yinaanáx̲, ax̲ éesh du éesh John Sobeloff was his name - on my father's side, my father's father. ya-saa2, du éesh, yinaanáx̲
Júx̲'aa awliyéx̲. She made a sling. júx̲'aa
Júx̲'aa tóot astán du jín. He has his arm in a sling. júx̲'aa, du jín, si-taan