This is Lingít Word of the Week. Each week, we feature a Lingít word voiced by master speakers. Lingít has been spoken throughout present-day Southeast Alaska and parts of Canada for over 10,000 years.
Gunalchéesh to X̱’unei Lance Twitchell, Goldbelt Heritage Foundation and the University of Alaska Southeast for sharing the recorded audio for this series.
This week’s word is kaxwaan, or frost. Listen to the audio below to learn how to say kaxwaan.
The following transcript is meant to help illustrate the words and sentences.
Keihéenák’w John Martin: Kaxwaan.
That means frost.
Here are some sentences:
Keihéenák’w John Martin: Kaxwaan ḵusi.áat’.
Frost is cold.
Keiyishí Bessie Cooley: Kaxwaan chukwán káa yéi nateech, ḵoos.áatʼi.
There is always frost on the grass when itʼs cold.
Kaxwaan Éesh George Davis: T’áa ká ḵukawdlixwán.
The frost is on the ground.
You can hear each installment of Lingít Word of the Week on the radio throughout the week.
Additional language resources:
Find biographies for the master speakers included in this lesson here.
Learn more about why we use Lingít instead of Tlingit here.
