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Tanacross Learners' Dictionary
Tanacross Learners' Dictionary
PRELIMINARY VERSION
compiled by Irene Solomon Arnold, Gary Holton, and Rick Thoman
Copyright © 2006 Alaska Native Language Center. The materials on this site, including Tanacross language transcriptions and audio recordings are intended for educational and reference purposes only. Commmercial use is strictly prohibited. Reproduction for non-profit educational purposes is permitted, provided appropriate citation is included. See complete terms of use. Please direct questions and comments to gary.holton@uaf.edu.


Browse the glossary using this index

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I

I

:
There is no distinction between "I" and "me". A separate word for "I" or "me" is only used for emphasis or in set phrases, since who or what is involved is a necessary of the verb.
shih audio
shih dú' sôgh t'iht'eh audio as for me, I'm fine.

ice

:
łuut audio
geetth audio overflow ice
łuut el'uh audio rotten ice (on lake, in puddles)
łuut elsuus audio rotten, candled ice (coming down the river)
tenh ch'ethǔul' audio hollow shale ice

ice jam

:
łuut niłká'etdéek audio ice is jammed up

if

:
dé' audio if, when
meghegndíik dé' xú' nétdíhdiił há' audio  if I remember it, I'll tell you
stanétshaay dé' ch'e k'á jah nitaahaal audio if he doesn't arrive here then he must have lost his way.

ignite

:
diik'ąą audio it (fire) ignited

ignore

:
sų́'ų naa wudeghuníi'i audio  ignore him or her, don't pay attention
shch'áa tét-taatth audio he or she ignores me

illness

:
ts'iik audio
SYN sickness, ailment
ts'iik t'ishíłáak audio I am ill, sick

imitate

:
sh'ek'éh dę́'ę audio  I am imitating someone

immediately

:
k'ah dú' t'êey audio immediately
SYN right away
k'ah dú' t'êey wuts'į́' ghúnhaał dé' audio you should go to him or her immediately

in (inside)

:
shíi audio
łii deshax shíi éedah audio the dog is sitting in its house
wushíi audio in it
SEE during

incisor (front tooth)

:
shinchetthxú' audio  my incisor

include

:
jâan ch'íh wu'éł audio  include this one too

Indian (Native)

:
Dendeh Shuh audio Native person
Dendeey Shuh Iin audio Native people
SYN Natives

Indian ice cream

:
nanehdlaad' audio  dry meat mixed with moose fat

Indian potato

:
tsaath audio (Hedysarum alpinum)
SYN carrot, roots

inexpensive (cheap)

:
diitl'og audio something inexpensive
SYN cheap
łéegęyh diitlog gha ndlâan ughihkét audio I bought a lot of crackers because they are inexpensive

inexperience

:
ts'axnindîig audio she or he is inexperienced with something, does not know about something

infant

:
ts'enîin gaay audio
SYN baby

inhale

:
niłshíi atshíits audio she or he inhaled, breathed in

injure

:
shexdéghindíik audio I got injured
SYN hurt

inland

:
Tanacross uses the same set of words to refer to above (vertically) and inland (away from water, especially away from the Tanana River) (away from river)
yandêdz audio from inland (distant)
yandêdz naghihdaał audio I'm walking back (from Mansfield to Tanacross)
nahdóg audio inland area (nearby)
nahdóg Saagéscheeg taxdéltth'ih audio they were living inland around Ketchumstock

insane

:
miini' exuushak audio she or he is insane, has lost their mind

insect

:
This is a general term for insects. See 'bug' for various kinds of insects.
gųų audio
SYN bug ALSO wildman, brushman, worm

inside

:
SEE in

inside out

:
nakededhihhuuth audio I turned it inside out
nilk'edet-huudh audio it is inside out

insist

:
dách'údetgék audio she or he insists (on something)

inspect

:
łokexdenindlah audio he inspected it, looked it over

instead

:
naadlęy audio
nayits'u'áał dihnęyh ch'e sulé' naadlęy shexghenęyh audio I said "let's eat", instead they said "maybe"

insult

:
xiynixtét-thet audio  he is insulted, got his feelings hurt
xeenixtétdeek audio they are insulted, got their feelings hurt

intelligent

:
SEE smart

interesting

:
shaa ch'áa' dį́ht'eh audio  it is very interesting to me

intestines

:
shts'ǐig' audio my intestines

intimidate

:
xáních'ulnih audio  she or he is intimidated
xanich'ulnih ts'į́' k'á ch'í'á́adl audio he didn't eat because he was intimidated

intoxicated

:
SEE drunk

investigate

:
SEE inspect

invite

:
yukah nídajénín'ąą audio she or he invited him or her

iron

:
ch'itsiy iron, steel

irresponsible

:
wudzii xninkol audio irresponsible, playful person LITERALLY 'he has no ears'

is

:
There are two separate words that translate as 'is, am, are' in English.
t'iht'eh audio I am
The words that ends with -t'eh generally have a meaning of 'something equals' or 'same as'. These are the most general of the 'is' words and can be used when talking about physical objects or abstract concepts.
imperfective paradigm audio
t'iht'eh ts'int'eh
t'int'eh t'aht'eh
nt'eh xint'eh

nts'é t'ínt'eh? audio how are you?
sínt'eh audio it is (any single object, person, animal)
êy eek sínt'eh audio that is a shirt
sínánt'eh audio they are (plural objects)
êy eek sínánt'eh audio those are shirts
síxúnt'eh audio it is (abstract concept, area or weather)
xey síxúnt'eh audio it is winter
ihłęę audio I am
The words that ends in -łęę generally have the meaning of 'something exists' or 'something is so' and often refer to concepts rather than physical objects.

imperfective paradigm audio
ihłęę ts'inłęę
inłęę ahłęę
nłęę xinłęę

ndée xt'een inłęę? audio where (what area) are you from?
xúnłęę audio it is (abstract concept, area or weather)
sheen xúnłęę audio it is summer
Note that in Tanacross no form of 'is' is used when talking about activities happening right now. For example, English he is hunting, Tanacross na'eLs_eex, there is no Tanacross word meaning 'is'.

island

:
taanduu audio
łdaachíi audio  point of an island

it

:
Tanacross does not have non-specific words that refer to the gender of 'that other' person. A separate word for 'he, she or it' 'is rarely used. Instead, who or what is involved is a necessary part of the verb. A separate word can be used to point out or emphasize a particular 'it' and is often translated as 'that one'.
nâan audio that one
nâan ts'enh ch'unindiyh audio get some from it

itch

:
ihxeeth audio I am itchy
imperfective paradigmaudio
ihxeeth ts'exeeth
inxeeth ahxeeth
exeeth xexeeth
exeedh audio an itch, a ticklish feeling

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