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!
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Sagú yáx̲ k̲aa yayík du.ax̲ji nooch héendei yaa ana.ádi. Their voices would sound happy when they went to the sea. sagú, a yáx̲, k̲aa, a yayík, ya-.aax̲1, nooch, héen, -dei, yaa, ya-.aat1
Sakwnéin áwé du x̲’éix̲ x̲ateex̲ wé kals’áak. I take bread to the squirrel. kals'áak, k̲aa x̲’éi + ya-tee2, sakwnéin
S’éek dé has du k̲oowúde has woo.aat. Black bears have already gone into their dens. s’éek, dé, a k̲oowú, ya-.aat1
S’éek l’eedí tléil ulyát’. A black bear’s tail is short. s’éek, a l’eedí, tléil, li-yaat’
Seig̲án gé i tuwáa sigóo ax̲ een yéi jiyineiyí? Do you want to work with me tomorrow? seig̲án, ji-ya-nei0.1
S’eik̲ x̲áatx’ yak’éi cháas’. Pink salmon is good smoked. cháas', s’eik̲
Sgóonwaan at yátx'i hás shayadihéin Yaakwdaatx'. There are a lot of school children in Yakutat. sgóonwaan, at yátx'i, sha-ya-di-haa, Yaakwdaat
Si.áat’i héen ínx'eesháa tóode akawsixaa. She poured cold water into the bottle jug. ínx'eesháa, ka-si-xaa, a tú, si-.aat’
S’igeidí Deisheetaan k̲aa at oohéini áwé. The Beaver is the property of the Deisheetaan Clan. k̲aa at oohéini, s’igeidí, Deisheetaan
S’igeidí g̲eiwú yís a gwéinli aax̲ awlixásh, wé watsíx. He cut the hooves off the caribou for a beaver net. s’igeidí, g̲eiwú, a gwéinli, li-xaash, watsíx
S’igéidi káx̲ g̲aatáa héen táakde awsitee. He set a trap underwater for beaver. héen táak, s’igéidi, g̲aatáa, si-tee2
S’igeidí l’eedí yawóox̲’ k̲a k̲’áatl’ yáx̲ yatee. A beaver’s tail is wide and flat. s’igeidí, a l’eedí, ya-woox̲’, k̲a, k̲’áatl’, a yáx̲ + ya-tee1.7
Sindi Claus yáx̲ áwé dleit yáx̲ yatee du x’adaadzaayí. His whiskers are white like Santa Clause. a x̲'adaadzaayí, dleit
S’ísaa gwéil tóox’ duhoonín kóox. Rice used to be sold in cloth bags. gwéil, s’ísaa, kóox, ya-hoon
Sís’aa k̲áas’ hóon daakahídidáx̲ aawa.oo. She bought a yard of fabric from the store. k̲áas', sís’aa, hóon kaakahídi, -dáx̲
Sít’ yáa ilk’wát’x̲ kichyaat. Terns lay eggs by glaciers. kichyaat, sít’, dli-k’wát’
S’íx’ kawtoo.óos’i a ítnáx̲ áwé ag̲ax̲toolk̲áa. When we have washed dishes, after that we will play cards. s’íx’, ka-ya-.oos’, a ítnáx̲, dli-k̲aa3
S’íx’ x̲oot ilt’ách déi! Wash up the dishes now! (Lit: Slap (up) the dishes now). s’íx’, a x̲oo, li-t’aach, déi
S'eenáat akaawagán. The light is on. s’eenáa, -t, a-ka-ya-gaan1
S'eik̲ ash daa dleeyí aawasháat. S/he's addicted to smoking. (Lit: Smoke caught him/her) s'eik̲, dleey, ya-shaat
S'eik̲ tóode wootáax̲'w. It disappeared in the smoke. s'eik̲, a tú, ya-taax̲'w1
S'eik̲ x̲áat xás'i áwé yak'éi g̲altóot idateení latseen sákw at eel'óoni. When you're out hunting a piece of smoked fish skin in your pocket is good for energy. s'eik̲, x̲áat, a xás'i, ya-k'ei0.1, latseen, a-ya-l'oon
S'igeidí k̲a g̲ooch a kaa kashaxít wé at xáshti x'óow. Draw a Beaver and wolf design on the leather blanket. s'igeidí, g̲ooch, a ká, ka-shi-xeet, at xáshti x'óow
S'íx' x̲oo na.óos'! Wash the dishes! s’íx’, a x̲oo, ya-.oos’
Shaa a litká aadé dax duwatéen wé watsíx. The caribou can be seen on the ridge of the mountain. shaa, a litká, á, -dé, dax̲-, ya-teen, watsíx
Sháadei hán g̲ayéis’ layeix̲í haat k̲uwatín tatgé. The chief engineer traveled here yesterday. g̲ayéis' layeix̲í, sháadei hán, tatgé, k̲u-ya-teen
Shaa káatx̲ áwé dusx̲út’x’ aas g̲ayéis’ tíx’ teen. Trees are drug off the mountain with steel cable. g̲ayéis' tíx', shaa, aas, a ká, si-x̲oot’1
Shaa kináakdei yaa nagút. He is walking to the top of the mountain. a kináak, shaa
Shaatk’átsk’ux̲ x̲at siteeyí ax̲ x̲’é k’éiyin wé tl’aadéin.aa. When I was a little girl, I loved to eat turnips. tl'aadéin.aa, shaatk’átsk’u, du x̲’é, ya-k’ei
Shaa tlein a góonnáx̲ yaawashóo wé k̲aa x̲’usdeiyí. The foot trail follows the isthmus of the big mountain. shaa, tlein, a góon, ya-shoo1, k̲aa x̲’usdeiyí
Shaax̲ k̲uk’éet’ haa hídi daatx̲ kanéegwál’ sákw. She is picking gray currants from around our house for a berry and salmon eggs dish. shaax̲, haa, hít, a daa, -dáx̲, kanéegwál’, sákw, k̲u-ya-k’eet’
Shaa yá daat na.átch wanadóo. Sheep walk the mountainsides. wanadóo, shaa, a yá
Shaayee Xáak. Shaayee Xáak yóo dusáagun. His name was Shaayee Xáak. ya-saa2
Sháchgi kaa ka.éix̲ dáxw. Lowbush cranberries grow in the meadow. dáxw, a ká, sháchk, ka-ya-.aa3
Sháchgi tléik̲w yee.ádi gataan. Bring a container for low bush cranberries. a yee.ádi, sháchgi tléik̲w, ya-taan0.1(tr)
Shaklag̲éiyi wóow daakeit áwé. That is a pretty lunch basket. wóow daakeit
Shayadihéin Áankichx’ k̲uwa.oowu Lingít. There are a lot of Tlingits living in Anchorage. Áankich, k̲u-ya-.oo1
Shayadihéin aas gutú .ádí awsiteen yáa yagiyee. She saw lots of animals in the forest today. aas gutú
Shayadihéin has du tl’eeg̲í wé náak̲w. Devilfish have a lot of tentacles. a tl’eeg̲í, náak̲w, sha-ya-di-haa
Shayadihéini at óowu wéide yaa ndusxát’. They are hauling lots of someone’s possessions over that way. k̲aa at óowu, si-xaat’, sha-ya-di-haa
Shayadihéin tl’áxch’ táakwde yaa k̲unahéini. There are a lot of dead branches when it becomes winter. tl'áxch', táakw, k̲u-ya-haa, sha-ya-di-haa
Shayeit a kát satéen káa x̲ex̲x’u yeit . The pillow is on the bed. káa x̲ex̲x'u yeit, shayeit
Shé a x̲oodé ayatéen du x̲’astoox̲ú. He sees blood in his sputum. shé, a x̲oo, ya-teen, x̲’astoox̲
Sheendé! Táach ikg̲washáa. Get up! You’re going to oversleep. (Lit: Sleep will marry you.) ya-shaa1, tá, -ch
Sheet'kaadé k̲u.aa áyá wdusháayin Teik̲weidéech áyá. She married a man from Sitka from Teik̲weidí clan. Sheet'ká, ya-shaa1, Teik̲weidí
Sheey kak̲áas'i du jíndáx̲ kei aawayísh. She pulled a splinter out of her hand. sheey kak̲áas'i, du jín, -dáx̲, ya-yeesh
Sheishóox̲ áwé akaawach’ák’w, kéel a káa yéi aawa.oo. He carved a rattle and put a murrelet on it. sheishóox̲, kéel, A-x’ + yéi ya-.oo1
Shí áwé shukk̲walayéx̲. I'm going to compose a song. shí, li-yeix̲1.1
Sh tóo awdlitúw g̲íx̲'jaa k̲óok al.áx̲ji. He taught himself to play the piano. g̲íx̲'jaa k̲óok, sh tóo + li-toow, li-.aax̲1
Sh tóo g̲aa wditee ax̲ yoowú. My stomach is thankful. di-tee1.2, du yoowú
Shux’aanáx̲ kaldaag̲éináx̲ áwé dugwáal yá shí. The drumming starts out slow in this song. kaldaag̲éináx̲, shux’aanáx̲, shí, ya-gwaal
Sh x̲'áx̲das'eik̲. I smoke. x̲'a-di-s'eik̲