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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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P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | ALL

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W

water (just above fish trap)

:
k'ełndîidz \de

water lily

:
kelt'addh audio

water plants

:
tuu shíi nésheegh audio

waterfall

:
tuu naghinłęyh audio water is flowing down, cascading down

watering hole

:
tuu dak'ée audio a place to get water, water source

watermilfoil

:
níhts'îil audio watermilfoil, "muskrat food" (Myriophyllum spicatum)

wave (hand)

:
yała'et-'aak audio she or he is waving to him/her audio
nts'į́' łá'ísh'aak audio  I'm waving at you

wave (on water)

:
taatth audio

waxwing, Bohemian (bird)

:
tthi't'odihseel
tl'uuł nęy audio

we

:
A separate word for "we" or "us" is only used for emphasis or in set phrases, since who or what is involved is a necessary of the verb.
neexon audio we, us

weak

:
sht'ěyy' kó́l audio I am weak (have no strength)

wear (clothing)

:
Different Tanacross words are used depending on what part of the body the clothes normally are worn over.
nádédhégshah audio I am wearing it (clothing)
náydélshah audio she or he is wearing it (clothing)
Used as a general term for 'wearing' as well as for clothes worn above the waist but not on the hands or head.
imperfective paradigmaudio
nádédhégshah nádzélshah
nádédhílshah nádédhálshah
nádélshah náxdélshah

díi nádédhílshah? audio what are you wearing?
eek nádédhégshah audio I am wearing a coat
O nadedheg'ąą audio I am wearing O (a hat)
Used for hats.

imperfective paradigmaudio
nádédhég'ąą nádzél'ąą
nádédhíl'ąą nádédhál'ąą
nádél'ąą náxdél'ąą

P shíi dédheg'éetth I am wearing P (pants, shoes)
Used for clothes worn from the waist to the feet. Derives from the Tanacross word meaning' move feet'. Note that shíi 'in', always is used before the main verb.

imperfective paradigmaudio
dédheg'éetth dzél'éetth
dédhil'éetth dédhal'éetth
dél'éetth xdé'éetth

ch'ehtlé' shíi dél'éetth audio he's wearing pants
P shíi dédhegdíik I am wearing P (mittens, gloves)
Used for clothes worn on the hands. Derives from the Tanacross word for 'move hands'. Note that shíi 'in' always is used before the main verb.

imperfective paradigmaudio
dédhegdíik dzéldíik
dédhildíik dédhaldíik
déldíik xdéldíik

nátthí'udédhíshtl'uu audio
Used for scarves or shoelaces. Derives from the Tanacross word for 'tie'.

imperfective paradigmaudio
náth'í'udédhíshtl'ųų nátth'ídzét-tl'ųų
nátth'í'udédhít-tl'ųų nátth'ídédháltl'ųų
nátth'ídét-tl'ųų nátth'íixidét-tl'ųų

k'onit'êy nátth'í'udéttl'ųų audio she's wearing a scarf on her head
O na'udédhísts'es I am wearing O (blanket, cape around shoulders)

weasel

:
nihmaay audio short-tailed weasel (Mustela erminea)
SYN ermine
tsuuy least weasel (Mustela rixosa)

weather

:
There is no word in Tanacross that corresponds to English 'the weather'. Instead, Tanacross talks about the condition of the "outside".
nah'ôg nts'é xúnt'eh? audio how is the weather? LITERALLY 'How is it outside?'
nah'ôg nts'é xúltsįį? audio how's the weather out there? LITERALLY 'How does it look outside?'
nah'ôg xúnsųų audio the weather is nice, it is nice outside
ch'et-ts'iik audio nippy weather

weave

:
nihxét audio  I am weaving
aayh nexét audio she or he is weaving snowshoes

web

:
kelahdzeey gǎal' audio
SYN spider web

wedge (for splitting wood)

:
ndeł audio

weep

:
SEE cry

weir (fishing)

:
xtsiił audio fish weir, bridge
wuch'ěel' fish weir stakes

welcome

:
êy t'o audio you're welcome, it okay

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