This material is based on work supported by National Science Foundation grants BCS-0651787 and BCS-0853788 to the University of Alaska Southeast with Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff as Principal Investigator and by National Endowment for the Humanities fellowship 266286-19 to Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or National Endowment for the Humanities.

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Symobls used in the transcription

  • {false start}
  • (added for clarity)
  • [translator/transcriber's note]
  • ??? = can’t understand
  • «Lingít quotation marks»

Software Used

Time-aligned text for this video was accomplished using ELAN, Versions 6.0 (2020), 6.1 (2021), and 6.3 (2022) Nijmegen: Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, The Language Archive. Retrieved from https://archive.mpi.nl/tla/elan

We use SLEXIL to render ELAN XML output as interactive web pages. Pronounced "sluck-HAIL", SLEXIL means daylight in the Lushootseed language, for which it was originally developed. The name may also be understod as an acronym: Software Linking ELAN XML to Illuminated Language.

SLEXIL is documented here, maintained on github, can be run interactively on the web, and is actively supported by Paul Shannon who welcomes your feedback.

To compare your pronunciation to that of the Tlingit elders, click on the microphone icon located at the right top of the main page. This opens the "RECORD YOURSELF" window in which you can record your own pronunciation of any line of interest.

Begin by clicking on the number of a line of an elder speaking. It may help to do this repeatedly, LISTENING more than reading, absorbing the sounds of their speech. (In English, we donʼt talk the same way a printed word is spelled. The same is true for Tlingít.)

When you're ready to record yourself, click RECORD in the "RECORD YOURSELF" window, then STOP, then PLAY. You can keep recording yourself with the same line and hear your pronunciation improving!

Usage notes from Alice Taff
Using a Macbook Air M4, Sequoia 15.5, the record-self works fine:
  1. with Firefox 140.0.2
  2. with Safari 18.5
  3. with Chrome 138.0.7204.158
Video Size
Tlingit Conversation #37-38

Speakers are Kaséix̱ Selina Everson, Seidayaa Mary Anderson, Ḵeixwnéi Nora Marks Dauenhauer, Lasaayí Emma Shorty, and Naakil.aan Mark Hans Chester. Recorded August 11, 2010 at Surprise Lake, Atlin, YT, Canada by Ljáaḵkʼ Alice Taff.
KSE = Kaséix̱ Selina Everson. SMA = Seidayaa Mary Anderson. ḴNMD = Ḵeixwnéi Nora Marks Dauenhauer. NMHC = Naakil.aan Mark Hans Chester. LES = Lasaayí Emma Shorty.
Tlingit transcription by Keetyaanaayi Paul Marks II. English translation by Ḵaaḵal.aat Florence Sheakley and LjáaḵkʼAlice Taff. Edited by Ḵeixwnéi Nora Marks Dauenhauer and Keetyaanaayi Paul Marks II.
(yila)kʼéi nooch tlél ḵooshkʼéiyi.
when skies are grey [Lyrics of "You Are My Sunshine." Speakers are singing and making noise to let any animals know they are in the area so no one is surprised.]
NMHC
You prune them.
ḴNMD
Daa chʼa tlákw ax̱ g̱agaaníx̱ inastí.
Just be my sun forever.
NMHC
You are my sunshine,
KSE
my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey. Youʼll never know dear, how much I love you
KSE
please donʼt take
?
my sunshine away.
KSE
Hereʼs some mountain blueberry bushes.
ḴNMD
The other night dear, as I lay sleeping,
singers
Boy, itʼs just really confusing the bear.
SMA
I held you in my arms.
singers
When I awoke dear, I was mistaken. And I hung my head
ḴNMD
Xwéi!
Whew!
ḴNMD
You are
singers
Thereʼs lots.
ḴNMD
Thank you.
ḴNMD
Oh, nice.
ḴNMD
Goosú wé kanatʼá? Isax̱waa.áx̱ch.
Where are those blueberries? I heard your voice.
NMHC
Wéidu á, áxʼ
There it is, there
ḴNMD
Yeah.
SMA
{akaya} Yáatʼát gé?
This thing?
NMHC
Aa, a kawásʼi áwé.
Yeah, thatʼs its bush.
ḴNMD
Yáat ákyá?
Is it here?
NMHC
Aaá.
Yes.
ḴNMD
Hás ḵu.aa, «crowberries,» yéi has yawaḵaa. Aaa.
Them, though, "crowberries," theyʼre called. Yes.
NMHC, ḴNMD
X̱'aan yáx̱ yatee ḵu.aa.
They are red though.
NMHC
I know. I thought crowberries were black.
ḴNMD
Yéi x̱áawé, wuháanch wutusikóo.
That is indeed the way, it is us what we know.
NMHC
Wei wei yaa hu hu hoo.
['Singing']
Norma Shorty
Gee, not many soapberries, eh?
SMA
Here is a couple of, holy! Pickinʼ soapberries in a,
SMA
Go up through here.
SMA
Up there is good.
Norma Shorty
Gee, I want to go up there to pick some.
SMA
So whatever I pick will be addition to it.
ḴNMD
Shaatkʼátsʼkux̱ x̱at sateeyí,
When I was just a little girl,
KSE
has du een yoo x̱a.átgin, ax̱ tláa ḵa ax̱ tláakʼw hás.
I used to go with them, my mother and my maternal aunts.
KSE
Ax̱ léelkʼw
My grandparent
KSE
Oh, yeah.
ḴNMD
ḵukʼéetʼ.
picking berries.
SMA
Wáa sá has du tuwáa sigóo!
How much they liked it!
SMA
Ḵukʼéetʼ. {has} Kéi has ashuwustaaní,
Picking berries. When they lifted the end of it,
KSE
tléiḵw a tayeexʼ. {tle wé}
the berries underneath it.
KSE
Ax̱ tláa yéi x̱'ayaḵáa neech, {tle} «Tle bank dáanaa teen yáanáx̱ áyá ḵʼasigóo.»
My mother would always say, "This is more fun than (being at) the bank with money."
KSE
Tléiḵw haa yátx'i x̱'eis,
Berries for our children to eat,
KSE
haa dachx̱anxʼiyán, has du x̱ʼeis.
all of our grandchildren, for them to eat.
KSE
Has ax̱sakóowut,
So they can know it,
KSE
aadé ḵutoostéeyi yé chʼáakw.
the way we lived long ago.
KSE
Chʼas haa atx̱aayí daat woogoot.
She just went around (for) our food.
KSE
Sháa aayí{x̱ has du},
The womenʼs things, (their role)
KSE
ḵa babies daat yawustaaḵ.
and taking care of the babies.
KSE
Yéi áwé has wududziwát, hás tsú. Yeedát ḵwá, {ḵut kei n}
That is the way they were raised, them as well. Now, though,
KSE
ḵut x̱waag̱éexʼ, x̱áach.
I have lost it, myself. [or, ʼI have forgotten itʼ]
KSE
Aadé has téeyi yé.
The way that they used to be.
KSE
Á áyá ḵúx̱de yanax̱toodlaaḵt haa tuwáa sigóo, ḵúnáx̱.
So that we can get it back is what we want, very much.
KSE
Yéi áwé sʼé.
That is it for now.
KSE
I think I cleaned out my side.
ḴNMD
Aa, chʼa yéi googéinkʼ!
Yeah, itʼs just a little!
NMHC
Haa! Has (a)kawlixákw has du jín tin géyá?
Haa! Did they whip this with their hands?
NMHC
Tlél x̱wasateen.
I didn't see it.
NMHC
Ḵaa jín teen áwé kadulxákwl'een.
People used to whip it with their hands.
ḴNMD
Aaá.
Yes.
NMHC
Wuháanch ḵwá ch'a egg beater tín.
Us though, just with an egg beater.
NMHC
Cuisinart.
ḴNMD
Aaá.
Yes.
NMHC
Tlél, tlél,
Not, not,
NMHC
tlél jín haa shgóok. [Tlél haa jín tin tushagóok. Per Florence Sheakley.]
We donʼt know how to use our hands.
NMHC
Tlél k'idéin wutushagóok? or haa shagóok?
ʼWe don't know how to do it wellʼ? [Asking for correct phrase.]
NMHC
Tushagóok. Tushagóok.
We donʼt know how to do it.
NMHC, ḴNMD
Chʼa yeisú ax̱ jeewú.
I still have it.
NMHC
Haa, chʼa atkʼátskʼu yáx̱ ax̱ tuwáa (y).
My, I feel like just a child.
ḴNMD
Well, I had a little bit in a bag and I lost it.
Norma Shorty
Haaw, asʼélʼ ax̱ gwéili.
Well, itʼs tearing, my bag.
NMHC
Thereʼs some right there.
ḴNMD
Mhm.
Yes.
NMHC
Ḵúnáx̱.
Really.
ḴNMD
Haaw.
Well.
ḴNMD
I never thought I was gonna get any, and look what I got.
LES
Xwéi.
Whew.
ḴNMD
Hmm.
NMHC
Yax̱waadlaaḵ.
I have succeded.
ḴNMD
Aaá.
Yes.
NMHC
Tsóokʼ (a) kaadé kḵwasaxáa.
I will pour more onto it.
NMHC
A x̱oo aa a tóodáx̱ shoowaxeex, yá
Some of them have emptied out, these
NMHC
yáatʼaa, yáa woolnáx̱.
this one, through this hole.
NMHC
Woolnáx̱ ḵut kaawasóos. Ná.
They all fell out through the hole. Here.
ḴNMD
Aaá. Gunalchéesh.
Yes. Thank you.
NMHC
(Wool)náx̱ kaawasóos.
They fell through the hole.
NMHC
Xwéi! Éḵde kḵwagóot.
Whew! Iʼm going to walk down toward the beach.
ḴNMD
Sʼeek áwé a x̱oo yoo uwagút, wé xákwlʼi.
A black bear walked around among them, those soapberries.
SMA
Aaá.
Yes.
KSE
Wé ax̱aayí kʼé tle wé du loodé tle yóo á ḵunik neech.
When heʼs eating it, then toward his nose like this is how he always does it. [The human possessive pronoun «du» personifies the bear.]
SMA
Has du x̱'éi yak'éi.
It tastes good to them.
KSE
Ách áwé ax̱ tláa ḵá ax̱ tláakʼw hás,
That's why my mother and my maternal aunts,
KSE
{ax̱ ax̱} ax̱ léelkʼw ḵwá ḵut x̱waag̱éex' ch'a yéi x̱at gusagéink'i.
but I lost my grandparent [perhaps meaning maternal grandmother here] when I was just small.
KSE
Tléiḵwg̱aa has gug̱a.aadí tle yoo s x̱ʼala.atgi nooch, all of them.
When they were going to go for berries, then they would speak, all of them.
KSE
Ldakát hás.
All of them.
KSE
«Haa x̱ʼanaadáx̱ ḵux̱ gaydanaaḵ.
"Stand back from our path. [Addressing the bears]
KSE
Haa léelkʼu hás,
Our grandparents,
KSE
«Haa yátx'i x̱ʼeis ḵutookʼéetʼ.
we are picking berries for our children to eat.
KSE
Haa yátxʼi atx̱aayí yís áwé yáat wutuwa.át.
We have come here for our childrenʼs food.
KSE
Ituladléikw tsá. [«tsá» here varies with «tsé»]
Donʼt let us startle you.
KSE
Chʼa aadé yéi haa na.oo.»
Forgive us."
KSE
{tlél hu tlax̱} Tlél tsu tléixʼ xóots wutusateen.
We didnʼt even see one brown bear.
KSE
{chʼu y} Chʼu shaatkʼátskʼux̱ x̱at sateeyidáx̱ áwé
From the time that I was a little girl
KSE
{x̱ʼax̱a.áx̱-} s x̱ʼax̱a.áx̱jin.
I used to hear them say that.
KSE
Yeedát ḵwá {ḵut} ḵut wutuwag̱éexʼ, {y}
Now, though, we have lost it,
KSE
at gu(tu).ádi een yoo x̱'ala.átk.
speaking to the animals.
KSE
X̱áach chʼa tlákw yéi daax̱ané áwé, chʼa tléináx̱ x̱át át nax̱aḵúx̱ch.
Myself, I always do that, I am always driving around by myself.
SMA
Uhuh?
KSE
Wé Skagway road.
The Skagway road.
SMA
Blueberries áwé katʼeix̱, tle a x̱oot nax̱agútch.
The blueberries ripen, then I always go out among them.
SMA
{chʼa tlákw, tle ldakát át át a}
KSE
Ldakát át, a yakg̱wahéiyag̱u ḵudzitee.
Everything has a spirit.
KSE
Mhm.
SMA
Ách áwé {hél a daax̱}
That is why
KSE
hél
not
KSE
{aadé} Chʼa aadé yaa tundutánch.
Just how they thought.
SMA
Yeah, kʼidéin i toowú.
Yeah, you have good thoughts.
KSE
{k'idéin} K'idéin ḵaa tuwuteeyí yakʼéi.
It's good when oneʼs thoughts are good (clean).
SMA
K'idéin i tu(nda)táani yan tután.
Set your mind straight.
KSE
A x̱oo aa tsú yéi x̱ʼayaḵá,
Some of them, too, they say,
SMA
«Yóo kḵwasanée ḵa yóo kg̱watée.»
"I will do it this way and it will be this way."
SMA
It always change.
SMA
I seen it.
SMA
Ax̱ tláa, du káa yánde yaa ganée wé ax̱ éekʼ,
When my brothers were preparing (food for winter) for my mother,
SMA
daaxʼoonináx̱ áwé has yatee,
there are four of them,
SMA
«Dzískʼw áyú i jeedé yéi gax̱tusanée,» yóo has x̱ʼayaḵá.
"We are going to give you a moose," they say.
SMA
Tle ch'a yeisú, déix̱ Sándi uyéx̱i dei wé chʼu x̱'ayaḵáa tle áxʼ, át woogoodi yé,
Then even still, after two weeks had passed since he said, there, at the place where he was walking around (hunting),
SMA
tlél tsu daa sá yéi has oosteench.
they still hadnʼt seen anything yet.
SMA
Yeah.
KSE
Tsu has awusteení, naaliyéide áwé {has}.
When they did see them, it was at a distance.
SMA
Áwé ax̱ yéetkʼ yéi nanée áwé,
When my son died,
SMA
John Ward yéi x̱'ayaḵá, «Dzískʼw aa kuḵajáaḵ.
John Ward says, "I'm going to kill a moose.
SMA
{yee jee} Yee jeedé kḵwatée,» yóo x̱ʼayaḵá.
I'm going to give it to you folks," thatʼs what he says.
SMA
Lig̱aas! Lig̱aas!
Thatʼs taboo! Thatʼs taboo!
KSE
Aag̱áa áwé tle, Chʼá, Chʼá
And then
SMA, KSE
tlél, no more,
not, no more,
SMA
Shuḵdéin daayaduḵáa át, has awlig̱aas.
They refrained from speaking jokingly about it (because it is taboo).
KSE
«Dudlig̱aas,» yóo haa daayaduḵáayin.
"People refrain from doing that," thatʼs what they used to say to us.
SMA
Du tléig̱u daat yawsitáḵ, ḵúnáx̱.
She is really minding her berries.
KSE
Nora.
KSE
Mm.
SMA
Juneauxʼ gíwé {yoo} haa een yoo x̱ʼali.átk?
Was it in Juneau, sheʼs talking to us?
SMA
Haadé yaa nagút.
Sheʼs walking over here.
KSE
{yóo} Yeedát áwé,
Now, (at this time of year)
SMA
sea asparagus áwé {yéi d} wooch kaadé yéi daatooné. No, it was in Sitka.
we are gathering sea asparagus.
SMA
And sʼeek ???
And a black bear [standing on its hind legs???]
SMA
Wé yatseeneit.
That bear.
SMA
Aan yoo x̱ʼali.átk.
They are talking with it.
SMA
Tle yínde sh wudzitaan, tle yoodé yaa nagút.
Then it sets istelf down and walks away.
SMA
Aaá.
Yes.
KSE
Ḵúnáx̱ {ás} ákʼ has aheenín {haa x̱ʼ} has haa x̱ʼa.áx̱ji, wé xóots,
They really used to believe that they can understand us, the brown bears,
KSE
haa léelk'w hás.
our grandparents.
KSE
Mhm.
Yes.
SMA
A yáx̱ x̱ʼadulyóo, ḵúnáx̱ ax̱ léelkʼw x̱áawé,
It is referred to by a kinship term, that is really my grandparent (the bear),
KSE
Teiḵweidí dachx̱án áyá x̱át.
I'm a grandchild of Teiḵweidí (Brown Bear clan).
KSE
Lig̱aas ch'a daa sá kawushóoḵ.
It is taboo to make fun of anything.
KSE
Hél ushk'é.
It's not good.
KSE
Aan {haa} kéi haa wdudziwát.
We were raised with it.
KSE
Aa, x̱át tsú, yéi x̱ʼayax̱aḵá, wé
Yeah, me too, thatʼs what I say,
SMA
«Óo, tle násʼk jinkaat yéi kḵwasanée.»
"Oo, I am going to make thirty of them."
SMA
Aag̱áa áyá tle yá ???
And then ??? [obscured by the car starting]
SMA
{tlél} Tlél aadé ḵooḵaanoogu yé.
I canʼt do that. (canʼt finish the 30 of whatever she is making)
SMA
I think I finished fifteen.
SMA
Jée.
Gee.
KSE
Ḵaa jix̱oox̱ aa x̱wli.át.
I passed them out to the people.
SMA
Thatʼs all I need.
SMA
Nora and her experience picking berries.
KSE
Yeah.
ḴNMD
And they used to talk to the bear.
KSE
This is the first time for me in Atlin, and Iʼm really enjoying up here because itʼs so dry, so wonderful. Itʼs, it looks so great. And the people are great. And the people are very, very generous and, and um, giving because theyʼre generous. And Iʼm enjoying it. I have met people so wonderful. Iʼve known Seidayaa for a long time. Sheʼs my neice.
ḴNMD
Ax̱ káalk'w.
My paternal niece.
ḴNMD
My niece from my brotherʼs children. And uh, Iʼm happy to see her again. I keep telling people she bought me this shoes. Theyʼre beautiful shoes. People ask me, "Where did you get your shoes?" I tell them from lady from Whitehorse. I didnʼt know that she came from here, Atlin. So itʼs been nice. Itʼs been wonderful to pick berries with you ladies, and I learned a new way to pick berries.
ḴNMD
Yak'éi ḵúnáx̱ yáax' yéi x̱at teeyí.
It is really good that I am here.
ḴNMD
Tle chʼa shux'wáanáx̱ áyá yáax'
This is the very first time that here
ḴNMD
haat ḵux̱waatín.
I have traveled here.
ḴNMD
Ḵa yáa a x̱oot ḵuwtuwatini ḵu.oo,
And these people whose midst we have traveled to,
ḴNMD
haa yáx̱ Lingít áyá.
they are Tlingit like us.
ḴNMD
Haa yáx̱ Lingít, haa yáx̱ Lingít atyátx'i tsú has du jeewú.
People like us, like us they have Tlingit children, also.
ḴNMD
Áyá tlax̱ wáa sá has tuli.aan.
They are so very friendly.
ḴNMD
Ḵa {hás tuli.aan, ḵa hás tu},
And
ḴNMD
chʼa ldakát át haa jeedé has ajeewanáḵ.
they have given us everything. (they are generous)
ḴNMD
Theyʼre giving.
ḴNMD
Áyá ḵuk'éet' wutuwa.aat yáa yagiyee.
So today we went berry picking.
ḴNMD
Xákwl'i áwé wutuwa.ín.
We picked soapberries.
ḴNMD
Gwál four cups shákdé yax̱waadlaaḵ.
I probably acquired about four cups.
ḴNMD
Wé, aa,
That, uh,
ḴNMD
ldakát ḵáach áwé ax̱ jeedé kawdig̱éex'.
Everybody contributed to me. (gave me what they picked)
ḴNMD
All these ladies, theyʼre, theyʼre giving me their picked berries. She gave me some and that lady gave me some. And Naakil.aan gave me some. So I got about four cups all together. Thatʼs a Lot of soapberries. Theyʼll whip up into many cups. So this is why I feel so happy up here. Itʼs wonderful to be here. Thank you ladies.
ḴNMD
Gunalchéesh.
Thank you.
ḴNMD
Yee x̱oot ḵuwx̱waatín.
I have traveled into your midst.
ḴNMD
Yeewháan tsú, gunalchéesh, thank you.
You folks also, thank you, thank you.
ḴNMD
We should go maybe towards warm springs, maybe weʼll find different patches.
SMA
Mhm.
?
Daa sá?
What?
ḴNMD
Tle yóo tle a x̱oo yoo kaawa.áa.
They grow among them just like that.
SMA
Look like decoration.
SMA
Áwé
Then
SMA
yéi x̱at daayaḵá,
he says to me,
SMA
«Ḵáa tlél ḵookʼéetʼ.»
"Men donʼt pick berries."
SMA
Á áwé {tu wa} tle wé,
So then,
SMA
«Gaawáḵ kʼé i x̱ʼéide {n},» yóo yax̱wsiḵaa.
"How about you try a serviceberry," I said to him.
SMA
???
SMA
X̱ʼéi awdinúk, «Ó áwé tlax̱ yéi yakʼéi,» yóo x̱ʼayaḵá.
He tasted it, "Oh, that is so very good," he says.
SMA
Tle á áwé haa een ḵukʼéetʼ.
So then he picked berries with us.
SMA
Há, yéi koogéi wé
My, itʼs this big, that
SMA
ḵʼwátl tlein, ashawlihík tle.
big pot, and he even filled it.
SMA
«K'e áyá aadéi koogeiyi yé,» yóo x̱'ayaḵá.
"Check out how much there is," he says.
SMA
Goosú wé tlél {ḵoo} ḵookʼéetʼin áwé.
Where is that (attitude he had) he never used to pick.
SMA
Ḵáaxʼw.
Men.
SMA
Ch'a yeisú ḵuk'éet' Naakil.aan. He moved further up.
Naakil.aan is still picking berries.
KSE
I donʼt hear them.
KSE
Now thatʼs the thing I need.
SMA
Do you want it? You can have it. Iʼll give it to you.
Norma Shorty
Wéidu (i) káaḵijeidí.
Here's (your) chair.
SMA
Mhm.
KSE
Gwéil tsú tusitee.
We have a bag, too.
KSE
I pretty near tipped with this one. If she didnʼt grab me, I wouldʼve tipped sideways.
SMA
And then she, she needs something when sheʼs standing up.
?
Tledahéen áwé x̱wsiteen wé
Once I saw that
SMA
What time do we have to go back?
ḴNMD
What they call that, déx̱ʼ, backpack.
What you call that, back, backpack.
SMA
I think supper is about 5:30? 5:30.
?
Ḵaa díx̱ʼ suitcases.
A-personʼs-back suitcases. [Inventing Tlingit for "backpack"]
KSE
Ḵaa yáani.
A personʼs pack.
KSE
Yaa nduyáan. Du yáani.
Theyʼre packing it. Their pack.
KSE
Isnʼt that right, Nora?
KSE
Backpack? Can you call it
KSE
du yáani?
his pack?
KSE
Yáanayi.
Pack.
ḴNMD
Yáanayi.
Pack.
KSE
I knew I had
KSE
Áwé x̱wsiteen wé, we
So I saw that,
SMA
du yáanayi.
his backpack.
SMA
???
SMA
Kuḵa.oo áwé á, ḵúnáx̱ áwé x̱ʼalitseen yóo ax̱ tuwatee.
I am (was) going to by it, itʼs very expenisive is what Iʼm thinking.
SMA
Hundred and something for it. So I left it.
SMA
Áwé ax̱ neilí x̱waagoot.
So I went to my home.
SMA
WOOOOOO!!!
['Alerting bears']
I hear it, it must be the
ḴNMD
??? now that you left me to love another, you have shattered all my dreams. You are my sunshine, my only, only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey. Youʼll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please donʼt take my sunshine away.
['Singing together']
ḴNMD, KSE, SMA