Amerindian languages
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These Salish words are not spelled phonetically--each word is spelled according to the orthography of its own language, so if you're not familiar with these languages you will need to follow the links to see how to pronounce them. We are working on a second chart transcribed into IPA symbols. We have included twenty basic Salishan Indian words, enough to give you a feeling for each language. All the nouns are singular and all the verbs are 3rd person singular ("he or she sings") because many Native American languages don't have a separate infinitive ("to sing") the way English and French do.
Interior Salish words | Central Salish words | Tsamosan words | Other Salishan words | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
English (Français) | Coeur d'Alene | Columbian | Okanagan | Salish | Cowichan | Clallam | Lushootseed | Nooksack | Straits Salish | Twana | Cowlitz | Lower Chehalis | Quinault | Bella Coola |
one (un) | nek'we' | naks | naks | nko'o | nutsa | nəc'u' | dəč'u' | nutso | nət'sə' | dakas | utsus | paw | paw | maw |
two (deux) | esel | tko'is | usil | eseł | yisella | čəsə' | sáli' | sali | čəsə | usali | salli | sal | salli | lhwaas |
three (trois) | chi'łes | tkałas | kałis | tsełe | łi'xw | łixw | łixw | łixw | łixw | cha'as | kałi | cha'ł | cha'uła | asmús |
four (quatre) | mus | musus | mus | mos | xa'asun | ŋús | búus | mos | ŋas | busas | mus | mos | mus | mús |
five (cinq) | tsilcht | tsilikst | tsilikst | tsił | łkatsis | łq'ášč | cəlác | łkačis | łq'ečəs | sts'hwas | tsilats | tsi'lčs | tsilakis | ts'ícw |
man (homme) | sqi'ltmkhw | skaltumiax | sqaltumiah | skaltamiax | sweke | swəy'qə | stubš | sweyuka | swəyqə' | stibat | siłimx | sti'ixw | sti'ixw | kwtmts |
woman (femme) | smi'yem | sma'am | tłkłamiluh | simmu'em | slenni | słáni | słádəy' | łannai | słeni' | sladai | kuwił | skeiklunłk | skekłnał | cnas |
sun (soleil) | ałdarench | kosum | xai'ałax | spukani | sumshasat | sqwqwəy' | łúkwał | tsoxatsat | sqwəqwəl | sluqatl | łuqał | skalus | tani'm | snx |
moon (lune) | ałdarench | suka'am | sokemm | saka'am | ł'qalts | łqayč' | słukwálb | łqałts | łqel'č | slutlub | łuqał | tani'm | tani'm | tl'uk |
water (eau) | sikwe' | sa'ułq | si'ulq | se'ułku | ka | qwú | alqwu' | hotsim | qwa | ka | kal'l | kal | ka'l | qla |
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