Tsimshian2017

TSIMSHIAN LANGUAGE CONVERSATION (Shmˈalgyack)

 

VALENTINES 

First Speaker: Did you ever have a sweetheart?

Second Speaker: I had a sweetheart when I was young.

First Speaker: Was she Tsimshian

Second Speaker:  No, she was Haida.

First Speaker:  Did you give her a kiss?

Second Speaker:  No, she kissed me first, on the forehead. 

First Speaker:  Were you surprised?

Second Speaker:  I kissed her back, Fred Astaire style!

 

First Speaker:  Ahl na neeˈdaa nasheeˈbnshgn?

Second Speaker:   Haˈdsihl dee hlguwoamhlgu, na neeˈdaa nasheeˈbnshgu. 

First Speaker: Ahl dee ˈTsimshian?

Second Speaker:  Ayin kshm Haida.

First Speaker:  Geenamn hoomˈtsack?

Second Speaker: Ayin, neeˈdaa nakˈshagm hoomˈtsaga woapckgu. 

First Speaker: Shm shaggaˈbackshganu la gyoatk?

Second Speaker: Gidigaadu hoomˈtsago lagyoash Fred Estaire!

 

 

BASKETBALL 

First Speaker:  What are you going to do? 

Second Speaker: I’m going to watch a basketball game at K-High. 

First Speaker: Who are they playing? 

Second Speaker: Metlakatla Chiefs. 

First Speaker:  What time does the game start?

Second Speaker: Basketball game starts at 7:30.

First Speaker:  I will meet you at the K-High gym.

Second Speaker:  Good, I will meet you there.

 

First Speaker:  Goadu lagyoan?

Second Speaker: Dm lashietenu ˈdsilaaym hlaˈat da K-High. 

First Speaker: ˈNaahlm shaalawaalˈd?

Second Speaker: ˈTaagwaanm Highshgoolm Shmˈoygit.

First Speaker:    Goahl dm wiewaads dm will shaˈdaaˈama ˈtsilaaym hlaˈat?

Second Speaker:    7:30 wil shaˈdaaˈama ˈtsilaaym hlaˈat. 

First Speaker:  Dm tckalwaan awaa da K-High gym.

Second Speaker:  Aam, dm al tckalwaan.

 

 

HERRING 

First Speaker:  What are you looking at?

Second Speaker:  I’m looking for the herring.

First Speaker:  Why are you looking for herring?

Second Speaker:  Herring eggs would taste good.

First Speaker:  I haven’t seen herring in a long time.

Second Speaker:  Tongass Narrows used to be flooded with herring long ago.

First Speaker:  My niece will send herring eggs from Sitka. 

Second Speaker:  Bring them here and we’ll cook them. 

 

First Speaker: Goadu gwihl needsn?

Second Speaker:  Yagwihl nee sheˈehl shga.

First Speaker:  Goahlgn sheˈehl nee shga?

Second Speaker:  Hashagu guba ˈtsamaatendu ckshˈwaanck.

First Speaker:  Hla naak, ahlga dee needs shga.       

Second Speaker: Shugiˈgoahl ˈweehailds shga na ˈtsm ˈdnˈggaash. 

First Speaker: Dm hiedsa hlgwishleeshm ckshˈwaanck wil waatk Sidakah.

Second Speaker:  Manda goyiksha ckshˈwaanck dawhl dm ˈgook da gwa. 

 

SPRING 

First Speaker:  It’s spring now, let’s go for a ride.

Second Speaker:  Let’s look for salmonberry sprouts. 

First Speaker:  Let’s go to Ward Lake. 

Second Speaker:  I wonder what else we will see. 

First Speaker:  I see skunk cabbage in the spring.

Second Speaker:  I see salmon berry flowers there! 

First Speaker:  Jump out of the car and pick me some! 

Second Speaker:  They taste good dipped in sugar. 

 

First Speaker:  Shu gyamg gyaˈwn, gwihl shashaantgm otbaˈbeel.

Second Speaker: Dm sheˈehl needsm dsihlagn oyhlm maˈkoacksh.  

First Speaker:  Laandsa dip goah lackˈdaa Ward Lake.       

Second Speaker:  Dm needsn wil likˈshgyada oyhla shggan maay?

First Speaker: Needsa guulda mahlda goaym hla goyiksha woanoack.

Second Speaker: Needsu hla madsiggalay da maˈkoacksh gwee!

First Speaker: Sha ggoadn guul aboodm oyhl dee aˈkoy!

Second Speaker: ˈTsamaaten oyhl da wil lutgiˈgen ˈtsm shoogah. 

 

 

GRADUATION 

First Speaker:  Come on Madeeg, let’s go! 

Second Speaker:  Where are we going? 

First Speaker:  To the Ted Ferry Civic Center. 

Second Speaker:  What for? 

First Speaker:  I am graduating today. 

Second Speaker: Congratulations! 

First Speaker:  Why do you want me to come? 

Second Speaker:  Because you are my Shmˈalgyack teacher.

 

First Speaker:  Ggal Madeeg!

Second Speaker:  Ndedu dm habm?

First Speaker:  Dm habm Ted Ferry waab dsab.

Second Speaker:  Awil goa?

First Speaker:  Dm ggalksha ackˈackhlganu. 

Second Speaker: Goadu na shm daˈackhlgn da wil shgoon.

First Speaker:  Goadugn hashagn dm dee goyikshu?

Second Speaker: Awilˈt ˈnuun int ngwineeˈetsn dm Shmˈalgyagu.

 

 

MEMORIAL DAY

First Speaker:  Good morning.  .

Second Speaker:  Let me shake your hand. 

First Speaker:  Today is Memorial Day. 

Second Speaker:  Yes, what can I do? 

First Speaker:  Be sure to thank the veterans. 

Second Speaker: I thank you. 

First Speaker:  You can also say, ˈKam goahl waan. 

Second Speaker:  I’ll never forget about it. 

 

First Speaker:  Ama gganhlaag.

Second Speaker:  ˈGilum anˈonˈn.

First Speaker:  Hla Haˈliˈhloadm Sha gyaˈwn.

Second Speaker:  Oa, goadu na dsabu?         

First Speaker:  Nˈdoyagˈt ˈnuun da na gitwaalgm gyet. 

Second Speaker: ˈDoyackshn.

First Speaker:  Mahldn na haawn ˈkam goahl waan.             

Second Speaker:  Ahlga dee shaˈkoaˈoldu na Haˈliˈhload Sha. 

 

 

KING SALMON DERBY

First Speaker:  Is your boat ready?

Second Speaker:  It is ready.   

First Speaker:  Did you buy your Salmon Derby ticket?

Second Speaker:  Yes, I bought it.  

First Speaker:  Where do you want to fish?

Second Speaker: Mountain Point.  

First Speaker:  Did you ever win? 

Second Speaker:  No, I caught a thirty pounder. 

 

First Speaker:  Goahln gyaˈwn na skipin?

Second Speaker:  Hla gwooldm gawdeeˈt.      

First Speaker:  Ahlm hla geegn na Salmon Derby ticket?

Second Speaker:  Oa, hla geegu.  

First Speaker:  Ndehl dm hashagn dm oomhoan?

Second Speaker:  Shgaˈneeshm Point.

First Speaker:  Ahln ckshdaa da oomhoan?

Second Speaker:  Ayin, dap ˈmagu thirty pownda. 

 

 

 

PICNIC 

First speaker: What are you going to do tomorrow? 

Second speaker: Our family is going to have a picnic. 

First speaker: Which beach?  

Second speaker: We are going to Settlers Cove beach. 

First speaker: Who is going with you?

Second speaker: My sister, brother, daughter, and nephew.

First speaker: Oh boy that sounds like fun. 

Second speaker: We are heading out at noon, come with us. 

First speaker: Ok, I’ll see you there!  

 

First speaker: Goyu dee dsabn dsigiˈdseeb.

Second speaker: Yaawckga gyalckga ˈnagyatgu da hahlgeeka.

First speaker: Godu geedsa hahlgeeka?

Second speaker: Sha gyoakshanm hahlgeeka na waash Settlers Cove.

First speaker:  Naadu na shdoolin da gwan? 

Second speaker: Na hlgaawgu, na waygu, hlguhlgm hanaˈacku ada hlgwishleeshm ˈyoota.  

First speaker: Wie wa, ˈnacknoo shishnankshga lugwantgish gwee!

Second speaker: Ggal, shagoym da shuulga sha.

First speaker: Wie wa!  Na needsn gwee!

 

 

BERRY PICKING 

First speaker: Where are you going?

Second speaker: I am going berry picking.

First speaker: What kind of berries are you going to pick?

Second speaker: Huckleberries near the beach.

First speaker: What do you do with your berries?

Second speaker: I am going to make jam.

First speaker: Huckleberry jam is my favorite!

Second speaker: I will give you some when I am done.

First speaker: That is good, I will bring you venison.

 

First speaker: Ndedu goyn?

Second speaker: Dm goyu guuldm shmaay.

First speaker: Godu geedsa shmaay?

Second speaker: Wihlaaycksh awaa hahlgeeka.

First speaker: Godu dsabn na shmaayn?  

Second speaker: Dm dsabu dsam.

First speaker:  ˈTsamaatenu wihlaayckshm dsam, eh!

Second speaker: Geenamn da hla gawdeeym.

First speaker: Oa, wie aam, na geenamn shameeym wan.

 

 

SMOKING FISH 

First Speaker:           What have you been doing? 

Second speaker:      I’ve been smoking fish. 

First speaker:         What kind of fish are you smoking? 

Second speaker:     King and coho. 

First speaker:         What kind of wood do you use? 

Second speaker:   I use alder.   Na hoyu shgan loowee.

First speaker:         What are you going to do with it? 

Second speaker:     I am going to store it for winter. 

First speaker:          That is good.  

 

First Speaker:           Goayu dee dsabn?

Second speaker:      Na shiˈbiyaanshu hoan.

First speaker:           Goadu geedsa shiˈbiyaanshn hoan?

Second speaker:      Yea ada uuck.   

First speaker:           Goadu geedsa laksh?

Second speaker:      Na hoyu shgan loowee.

First speaker:           Goayu na hoysh na shiˈbiyaanshn hoan?

Second speaker:      Dm luˈdoa na goamshm.

First speaker:           Wie aam!