SpilyayTymoo
Warm Springs, Oregon
October 26, 1995 5
Sahaptin language lessons begin with the alphabet
SAHAPTIN ALPHABET AND SOUNDS
n:
The " ' " sound is used to modify sounds. It is done when the
throat is made tense and the vocal cords close, closing and
opening the lid to the esophagus. Known as the "glottal stop".
Examples:
crow ' ach'ai magpie
putiuf blind
The stress mark " ' " over letters indicates where a person will
need to put more stress into the letter sound.
a
The "short a" is made by the tongue being slightly arched
between the middle and lowest part of the mouth with a short
breath of air. (Sounds like "o" as in the English word "hot")
Examples:
apdp hand asham wife
am husband wdshat ride
aa
The long "aa" is made by the tongue being slightly arched
between the front and back and lowest part of the mouth and
held longer. (Sounds like the "a" in father.)
Examples:
long waashat worship
dancing
always
C
I
jl
ic
H
jl
S
H
!k
ii
N
i
o aa c c' ch ch' h
I II k kf km Eodv I t
m n p p' q qv qiu qui1
s ch t t' tf ti' u tni
UJ II !!Ul y
kaatnam
tdaminwa
The "barred 1 (t)" is made when the tongue forms a groove
allowing air out of both sides of tongue or just one side and made
with a friction of hissing and hushing. (Sound somewhat similar
to "1" in clash in a rapid speech.)
The "c" sound is made by the tip of the tongue against the back Examples:
of the front teeth then releasing the air softly. (Sounds like the famtx head wrq'am moccasins
"ts" in cats.) farx dirt
Examples:
mdicqi
musmuscn
tdshtash fish duck
morning
cattle
cqat
quiet, still
The "hard c'" is made by the tip of the tongue against the back
of the front teeth then releasing the air with the throat. (Sounds
like "c" with a catch in the throat.)
Examples:
c'aa near c'f sweet
sc'dat dark c'unfps oak trees
ch
The "ch" sound is made by the tongue against the gum ridge
and the roof of the mouth, releasing the air softly. (Sounds like
the "ch" as in church.)
Examples: ;
chuush water chchii be quiet
chau no
ch'
The "hard ch" sound is made by the tongue against gum ridge
and roof of the mouth with the throat made tense and vocal
cords closed. (Sonds like the "ch" with a catch in the throat.)
Examples:
ch'im . )f) sharp . ... nch'f big, large
ch'lch'l proud, arrogant
h
The "h" sound is made by the friction of air passing through
the voal cords. (Sounds like the "h" in house.)
Examples:
Mwital April hulf wind
hdhan root
1
t
The "t" sound is made with tongue touching the back of the
teeth, stopping the air briefly then releasing it. (Sounds like the
"t" in top.)
Examples:
tap'aash pine tree
tiski skunk
t'
m The "hard t" sound is made with the tongue touching the back
The "m" sound is made by the two lips coming together and of the teeth, stopping the air briefly then releasing it and done
touching and out through the nose. (Sounds like the "m" in with the throat tensed and vocal cords closed. (The "t" sound
mouth.) made with a catch in the throat.)
Examples: Examples:
mdamin appaloosa horse miimfm dove t'fxt'ix swallow
miyuux cmei t aipt wampum
n tr
The "n" sound is produced when the tongue touches the back of The "tf ' sound is made with the tongue touching the back of
teeth and the sound comes out through the nose. (Sounds like the teeth and forming a groove, allowing air out sides of tongue
n in nice.)
Examples:
nawt belly nusux salmon
nushnu nose
t'xt'x grasshopper
The "soft p" sound is made by lips together and stopping the
outgoing breath, then releasing the air. (Sounds like the
spoon.)
p" m
Examples:
papsh
napt
fir tree
two
pldsh
white
The "hard p" sound is made by the lips together, stopping
outgoing breath then releasing, with the throat made tense and
vocal cords almost closed. (The "p" sound with a catch in the
throat.)
Examples:
p'fp'i intestines p'fim nighthawk
p'ushtdi hill
q
The "q" sound is made in as far back of the mouth as the tongue pusha
The "i" sound is made with the tongue raised toward the roof can go, but stopping the air then releasing. (There is no English
of the mouth and front of mouth with short breath of air. sound similar to this; closest to it would be the "k" sound in key.)
, (Sounds like the
Examples:
fmi you
pfpsh bone
in piece.)
ikks
11
little, small
Examples:
m&cqi
wfsqaqa
morning
robin
qu
heavy
The "hard q" sound is made in as far back of the mouth as the
The "ii" sound is made with the tongue raised toward the roof tongue can go, but stopping the air then releasing, with the throat
of the mouth and toward the front of mouth and breath held
longer. (Sounds like the "i", but of longer duration.)
Examples:
Ii yes lcnishkun in Indian
m'ix good
k
The "soft k" sound is made toward back of mouth, stopping
the breath and releasing it. (Sounds like the "k" in sky.)
Examples:
kapn digging stick kalxw blue back
salmon
kkayasu .'arrow
k
tensed and the vocal cords closed. (The "q" sound made with a
catch in the throat.)
Examples:
q'aiq'ai calf, colt q'uxwf knee
q'shpali buzzard
qw
The "qw" sound is made by rounding the lips with the tongue
and made with a hissinghushing sound. (Combinatin of
and T sounds.)
Examples:
tftjpt jump ktfaak jagged
ptfX bitter, pepper
tr
The "tf sound is made with the tongue touching back of teeth
and forming a groove, allowing air out sides of tongue and
made with a hissinghushing sound, with the throat made tense
and vocal cords closed. (Same as the "tf ' sound with a catch
in the throat.)
Examples: ,
tf &k - blacktail deer tf 4axw all
tftfmx ' redwing black bird
u
The "u" sound is made with lips rounded with the tongue high
and back area of mouth, and of short duration. (Sounds like
"u" in pull.)
Examples:
titpas blanket, robe mups fawn
father s father
uu
The "uu" sound is made with the lips rounded with the tongue
high and back area of mouth, and is long duration. (Sounds
like the "oo" in pool.)
Examples:
ptiush juniper tree ttuush some
p'uus cat
w
The "w" sound is made with the lips rounded and vocal cords
vibrating. (Sounds like the "w" as in wool.)
Examples:
wawa mosquito watam lake
wilalfk jackrabbit
X
The "x" sound is made when the back of the tongue touches the
almost touching back of mouth, stopping the air then releasing, back part of the roof of the mouth allowing a friction noise.
(The "q" sound with the lips rounded.)
Examples:
qwftp healthystrongactive qwalqwlfa" turkey
qwi smells good
qw'
The "hard k" sound is made toward back of mouth, stopping The "hard qw" sound is made by rounding the lips with the
the breath and releasing it, with throat tense and vocal cords tongue amost touching back of mouth, stopping the air then
closed. (Sounds like the "k" with catch in the throat.) releasing it, with the throat tense and vocal cords closed. (The
Examples: "qw" sound made with a catch in the throat.)
k'usi horse k'tisi k'usi dog Examples:
k'&wa short nuqw'ash throat qw'shfim disobedient
kw persistently
The "soft kw" sound is produced by lips forming an o-shape, qw'Ssh qw'fch crane
with breath stopping at the back of the mouth at the piece of
skin that dangles in the mouth. (The "k" sound with lips
rounded.)
Examples:
alkws
kwflcwt
kwiyam true
The "s" sound is made by the tongue touching the back of the
teeth allowing the air to pass through a narrow passage. (Sounds
like the "s" in sing.)
Examples:
sawi'tk Indian carrot spflya coyote
asm' eel
sh
The "sh" sound is made around the gum ridge and roof of mouth
cottontail rabbit
whistle
kw'
The "hard kw" sound is produced by lips forming an o-shape
with breath stopping at back of mouth at the piece of skin that
dangles in the mouth, but done with the throat tense and vocal with a hissing or hushing sound, (bounds like the sh in show.)
cords closed. (The
Examples:
flcwf day
!'kw" sound with catch in the throat.)
kw'ayawf cougar
1
Examples:
shdxat
shwa
raspberry
forehead
shush&nsh steelhead
The "1" sound is made when the tongue touches the back of the
teeth and forms a grove allowing air out of both sides of the
tongue (Sounds like the "1" in like.)
lalcas mouse lati't flower
luluu smooth
(No sound in English, closest would be the "ch" in the word
"Bach".)
Examples:
xtilxul trout xaslti star
muxkii fly xlish wolf
xdtxat duck
xw
The "xw" sound is made by rounding the lips, with the back
of the tongue touching the back part of the roof of the mouth
allowing a friction noise. (The "x" sound pronounced with the
lips rounded.)
Examples:
xwtatai pillow c'xwili teepee
xwfiami high or above xwdshwai blue jay
xwayama" golden eagle
y
The "y" sound is made by the mouth in same position for the
vowel "i", the moving to position needed for complete sound
of "y". (Sounds like "y" as in yesterday.)
Examples:
ydpash grease yaamash mule deer
wiyapnft bull elk
Language lessons will begin on Monday,
October 30 on KWSO, 91.9 FM.
during Talking Drum at 6:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m.,
2:30 p.m.and 6:30 p.m. The lessons will run
in their entirety on Sundays beginning at 12.
All information provided by the Tribal Language Program
For further information, call 553-2201
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