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
Laak̲'ásk gé ax̲ oox̲ káwu? Do I have seaweed on my teeth? laak̲'ásk, du oox̲, a ká
Laaxw eetí wé k̲aa jéedáx̲ atx̲á has du g̲aneix̲íx̲ wusitee. After the famine the food given/donated to them became their salvation. laaxw, a eetí, wé, k̲áa, du jée, g̲aneix̲, A-x̲ + si-tee1
Láax̲ tin áwé has awliyéx̲ wé hít kat'áayi. They made those shingles out of cedar. hít kat'áayi, láax̲
L at yáx̲ k̲oonook. He doesn’t act normal. a yáx̲, at, A + k̲u-ya-nook2
Ldakát át áwé k̲ux̲ dak’óol’in x̲waasáakw. I said everything backwards. ldakát, át, áwé, k̲ux̲ dak’óol’een, ya-saa2
Ldakát school áwé kookíts’aa aa yéi duwa.óo Every school has a seesaw. kookíts'aa, ya-.oo1.1
Ldakát uháan haa wduwa.éex’. All of us were invited. uháan, ya-.eex’
Ldakát wéi t’áa kax’ás’aa teen áwé kg̲eexáash. You will cut all those boards with a rip saw. kax'ás'aa, ldakát, t’áa, -teen, ya-xaash
Ldakát wooch x̲oot has yawdiháa. Everybody came together. ldakát, wooch, a x̲oo, -t, ya-di-haa
Léinde gax̲took̲óox̲ yá xáanaa k̲'alkátsk kahaa. This evening we are going yellowneck clam digging. k̲'alkátsk, léin, xáanaa, ka-ya-haa(tr)
Lemon Creek yóo duwasáakw g̲ayéis’ hít. The jail is called Lemon Creek. g̲ayéis' hít
L’éx̲’kw, k̲útl’kw nasteech séew daak wustaaní Soil turns to mud when it rains. l'éx̲'kw, séew, k̲utl’kw, daak si-taan
Lidzée áwé kayaaní a kaadéi kawuls’eesi áwé wéi laak̲’ásk. It’s frustrarting when leaves are blown onto the black seaweed. kayaaní, li-dzee, a ká, -de, ka-dli-s’ees, laak̲’ásk
Líl tíx eewustáax’ik̲! Don’t let the bedbugs bite! tíx, si-taax’
Lingít kóoxu aax̲ du.eenín héen wantú. Wild rice used to be picked along the riverbank. héen wantú, kóox, ya-.een1
Lingít x̲’éináx̲ kashxeedí áwé ashigóok. He knows how to write in the Tlingit language. kashxeedí, Lingít, a x̲’éináx̲, shi-gook1
Lingít x̲’éináx̲ yoo x̲’atánk a.áxji g̲aneix̲ yáx̲ áwé du ée yatee. Hearing the Tlingit language is like salvation to her. Lingít, x̲’éináx̲, yoo x̲’atánk, ya-.aax̲1, g̲aneix̲, a yáx̲, ya-tee
L kát i seix’aag̲úk̲ haa hít katíx̲’aayi. Don’t forget our house key. haa, hít, katíx̲’aa, a ká- + sa-ya-x’aak̲w
L’ook kaháagu áyá yak’éi kanat’á kanéegwál’ sákw. Coho salmon eggs are good for blueberry sauce. l’ook, kaháakw, áyá, ya-k’ei, kanat'á, kanéegwál’, sákw
Lowesdéi neelhoon a kát dul.us’ku át g̲aa. Go to Lowes and buy a washboard. -déi, li-hoon, a kát dul.us'kw át, -g̲aa
L s’eik̲x̲ usiteeyi neil áyá. This is a smoke-free home. tléil, s’eik̲, A-x̲ + si-tee1, neil, áyá
Lushik'éiyi át ákwé atxaayí? Is the centipede poisonous? atxaayí, shi-k'ei
L'ook at x̲éeshi áwé yak'éi wusxook sákw. Coho salmon dry fish is good for drying. l'ook, at x̲éeshi, ya-k'ei, si-xook