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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.


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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'.


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