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 geesh, or bull kelp. Listen to the audio below to learn how to say geesh.
The following transcript is meant to help illustrate the words and sentences.
Ḵaakal.áat Florence Marks Sheakley: Geesh.
That means bull kelp.
Here are some sentences:
Ḵaakal.áat Florence Marks Sheakley: Yakʼéi áyá geesh wán daak adustʼéix̱i.
It is good to go out fishing at the edge of the bull kelp.
Keihéenák’w John Martin: Yá yéil sh kalneegí áyá geesh daax̱ woogoodí yéil.
There is a Raven story where Raven went around the bull kelp.
Keiyishí Bessie Cooley: Éilʼ héen yíkx̱ yaa kana.éin wé geesh.
Kelp is growing in the ocean.
Kooshdáakʼu Bill Fawcett: Dliwkát latín wé geesh líl a káx̱ eeḵooxúḵ!
Watch that bull kelp; donʼt go over it!
Kaxwaan Éesh George Davis: Héen x̱ʼakee yoo liháshk geesh.
The bull kelp floats on the water.
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.
