Tanacross Learners' Dictionary -- B

Tanacross Learners' Dictionary

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babiche
    xeyh also spruce roots
  syn rawhide stripes
    ch'enxet thin snowshoe webbing

baby
    ts'enîin gaay
  syn infant
    ch'egaay baby animal

baby basket
k'įį tth'áatl

baby strap
ts'enîin tl'ǔul'

bachelor
wu'aat kôl

back (of the body)
    shnén' my back
    shinxǎan' my upper back
  see spine

back (direction)
    yaandíi toward the back
    k'éetah back to where it was
    yaandíi k'éetah nîi'itshah he, she or it went back to where he was.

backbone
    shinchenn' my backbone
    shnehts'ųų my spinal cord
  syn spine

backwards
chenent'aagh
chenent'aagh ts'į́' áahaał he or she is walking backwards

bad
    ts'antleeg bad, poor quality
    łâan éł t'êey ts'antleeg ts'į́' éltsįį it is poorly made
    ts'axuntleeg it�s bad, not safe, be on the lookout
    tęy ts'axuntleeg the road is bad
    tidaxghintthet a situation, place turned bad, is not normal
    tidaxdintthet a situation, place is bad

bad breath (halitosis)
wutaatthį́į' he has bad breath

bad mood
ts'ant'êey wushíi tnáaltthet she or he is in a very bad mood
miiní' shíi tnáalttthet she or he is in a very bad mood

bag
    ttheł théth old time women's skin bag for holding tools
    saak a bag, sack
    ssǎag' my bag

bald
    tthí' kedz
    ch'etey wutthí' kedz xúnłęę the old man is bald
    wutthí' xághíntleek he went bald, lost his hair literally 'his hair wore out'

bale (fish)
ihtsoł I am baling fish

ball
ch'ukêg
ch'uxeel old time willow ball

bandage
wuk'éch'údet-tl'ûun it is bandaged, wrapped literally 'something is tied up'

bandana
k'onit'êey
syn handkerchief

bank (of land)
meth river bank
meth níideex the bank is crumbling

bannock
łéets éet'eey
syn frybread

barefoot
kentsįįth ehdenh
nah'ôg kentsįįth ehdenh natedaak she or he is outside walking barefoot

bark (of tree)
    ch'elaats'eyh tree bark
    ch'elaht'ûudz outer bark
    ch'elahts'eyh shax old time bark house

bark (dog)
    ehttheh it is barking
    łii iin xehttheh the dogs are barking
    ch'ée'aldíik it is giving a warning bark
    naxáh'enh it bark, senses something out of the ordinary.

bashful
unétshąą she is bashful
syn shy

imperfective paradigm
uné'íshshąą	ts'unétshąą
uné'ítshąą	uné'átshąą
unétshąą	uxnétshąą

ts'éhxeh gaay unétshąą the little girl is bashful

basin
taatleex tth'áak wash basin

basket
    k'įį tth'áak birch bark basket
    k'įį tth'áatl baby basket
    tth'áak ét-tl'uun woven basket

bat (animal)
xéltsedz

bat (for hitting)
dechenh xěl'
syn club

bathe
k'éch'eltséł he is bathing
dêech'egtséł I am bathing

batter
łéets néltsel
łéets néltsel ektseyh I am making batter

be
see is

beach
taamâagh
syn shore

beads
    nat-tl'êdz
    nat-tl'êdz nihkón' shiny beads
    ch'enih'ées I am doing beadwork, sewing with beads

imperfective paradigm
ch'enih'ées	yits'ene'ées
ch'enin'ées	ch'enah'ées
yine'ées	ch'axne'ées

beak
wudá' its beak
syn bill also chin

bean
ch'ets'edz gaay kidney beans literally 'little kidney'

bear
    shos bear (general term)
    shos sęy black bear (Urus americanus)
    ch'éliitthǒgh' brown bear
  syn grizzly bear (Urus arctos)

Bear Creek (Mile 1357 Alaksa Highway)
Sht'ey Ndiig
Sht'ey Teyy' Nda'

bearberry
dendéyh
jîiz ndǎagh' (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)

beard
shdaaxá' my beard
syn whiskers

beat (drum)
ch'ehxeł he is beating it (drum)

imperfective paradigm
ch'ekxeł	yits'ehxeł
ch'įhxeł	ch'ahxeł
ch'ehxeł	ch'axehxeł

beat (as in a game )
    łaydehnęy she or he beat him or her (at a game)
    shlsǎaz' ładedheknęyh I lost my money (in a game)
    ładedhegnęyh I lost (at a game)

beat (with a spoon)
yi'éł ch'enehtthék she or he is beating it, stirring it

beaver
    tsá' (Castor canadensis)
    tsá' íin xaa'ół beavers are swimming together
    tsá' kę̌ę' beaver lodge

because
    gha
    k'á xníntthogh n'éł tihdâal, ishndaay gha I can�t stay with you long because I�m working
    xanich'ulnęy gha ch'e dádéhnęy he is keeping quiet because he is intimidated.
    êy gha sú' táhchąą le' sų́ų' tahchąą lé' because of that it will probably rain
    éł
    ghįhshâaddh éł xúltlet. it's slippery because it snowed.

beckon
âan, k'exahtseyh come along, lets go (said along with a motioning gesture)

becoming
ts'į́' xáattheł
xey ts'į́' xáattheł it's becoming winter

bed
dáhdzeł also rack, drying rack

bedding
téeł also rug, mat, mattress

bee
ch'elahdziid

beehive
ch'elahdziid t'ox

beetle
see bug

before
    ch'et-ttheh
    ch'et-ttheh nach'ih'áatl I ate before them
    nuhttheh ahead of you all
    nuhttheh dą́'ą tah ts'enihthet I woke up way before you all

beg
see plead

behind
    nandîidz behind (nearby)
    łii deshax nandîidz eedah the dog is sitting behind its house
    nnandîidz sits'enal'iin nek-'ęh I see a window behind you
    yaadíi tah nek-'ę́ę' I saw him way behind on the trail.

bell
delttheel

belly
stsǎadl' my belly
syn abdomen

belly-button (navel)
sts'uuk'ée my belly-button
syn navel

belongings
    xuudlaay
    wughandá' xúudlaay he's surrounded by his belongings
  syn possessions

below (from)
daashěz'
daashěz' chíh tęy xunłeen sixúnt'eh there is also a trail from down below

belt
théth
nthédh' nt'ih? where is your belt?

bend
    nanekxót I am bending it
    nanįhxót you are bending it
    nanalxót it (trees, brush) are bent over
    tanelket it is bent back

bend over (a person)
xanén' inttheyh you are bending over
xanén' xúghék-'ah I am bent over, hunched over

berry
    jêg general term, but especially referring to blueberries
    ch'inłuut unripe berries, but especially referring to blueberries
    nit-sįį' blueberry (less commonly used than je3g)
    naaxęy jêg nagoonberry, frogberry
    nihmá' silverberry
    tsaanttheetl high bush cranberry
  syn currant
    ntl'ét low bush cranberry
    nkáatl salmonberry
    dendéyh bearberry
    jîiz ndǎagh' bearberry
    naht'êez blackberry
  syn crowberry
    danch'ǒg' raspberry
    daníhdûuy red currant (berry) (Ribes triste)

Berry Creek (AK Hwy xng @ Mile 1372)
Wudzih Ddhěl' Ndiig' literally 'caribou mountain creek'

beside
    k'eddh next to, besides
    menh k'eddh łóoghihhaał I am walking around beside the lake.
    dóo iin nk'eddh dixdéltth'ih? who all is sitting next to you?
  syn alongside

best
ch'etth'íh shíi nsųų the best
kentsįįth ch'etth'íh shíi nsųų ts'į́' éltsiin si1nt'eh these look like the best moccasins

better
êy tth'íh shíi nsųų it is better than that one \de

between
daateg
shtlęę iin daateg didhihdah I'm sitting between my friends

beyond
    naattheh
    wunaattheh beyond him
    wułǐig' wunaattheh aahaał his or her dog is walking ahead him or her

bicep
shgaanłǔudh' my bicep

big
    chox big
    dendîig chox nek-'ęh I see a big moose
    ncháax it is big
    dendîig ncháax the moose is big

Big Dipper
k'eltah the constellation popularly called "Big Dipper" was used to tell time

bill (bird)
wudá' it's bill, beak
syn beak also chin

bind
see tie

binoculars
wushíi xnél'en'

birch
    k'įį birch tree
    ch'elaats'eyh peeled birch bark
    dahshú' birch catkins
    k'įįł birch sap
    k'įį ts'ědl' outer birch bark (paper)
    łuudh dwarf birch
  syn buckbrush, mountain willow

bird
tsúgaay general term for birds
tsúgaay t'ox bird nest

birth (give birth)
ts'enîin nadįhtęę she had a baby

birth canal
wutsénn' her birth canal, vagina

birthday
mexunłeey dzêenn' his or her birthday

bite
dhih'éł I bit it
łii shíi'éł the dog bit me

bitter (taste)
    tnínts'íik it is bitter
    ch'ondeyh tnínts'îig t'êey ghishná' medicine usually tastes bitter
    ldîil tatnínts'îig strong (bitter) tea
  syn sour

black
    dat-sęyh it is black
    wuche' chíi shę́ę' xdát-sęyh the tip of his tail is completely black
    dat-sęy the black one
    jâan tthíishúus dát-sęy sínt'eh this is a black hat

blackberry
naht'êez
syn crowberry (Empetrum nigrum)

blackbird
ch'ak nęy rusty blackbird (Euphagus carolinus)

blacken
nayitnet&e;es she or he is blackening it

blackout
xtnat-tl'éts she or he blacked out

bladder
wuluthéth it's bladder

blade
wuk'á' blade or edge
seey k'á' na'ihk'aax I am sharpening my knife blade

blame
yits'į́' xédadénį́htset she or he blamed him or her
yits'į́' xédaxdénį́htset she or her blamed him or her

blanket
    ts'ěd' blanket, cloth blanket
    ch'ethéth ts'ěd' skin blanket
    wudzih théth ts'ěd' caribou skin blanket (with hair on)
    ch'ets'iiz ts'ěd' caribou skin blanket when the hair is wearing off.

bleed
    deł xúnłęę
    shinłá' dhiht'eddh éł deł xúnłęę I cut my hand and it is bleeding
    shintsįį deł my nose is bleeding

blend (together)
niłtah nenínhąą liquids are blended, mixed together

blessing
shaa nítjélnęyh I received a blessing

blind (unable to see)
wudǎagh' kó́l she or he is blind

blink
naneldzeyh light blinks off and on
see wink

blister
tuułot
minłá' k'et tuułot nídélneyh a blister appeared on his or her hand

blizzard
xats'í'áldox it is snowing and windy

block
wudaxdéltsįį it is blocked
dâatth'i'ilshaay éł dedaxdéltsįį she or he came in the house in fear and so blocked up the house

blood
    deł
    shintsįį deł my bloody nose
    ch'inkąąy boiled blood (from moose, caribou)

bloodshot
shdǎagh' t'êl my eyes are bloodshot

blossom
xanihshąą blossom, sprout
xt'aghihdlâay k'ót'êey ch'exanihshaan I planted something and it is already blossoming, sprouting

blouse
ch'esék also shirt

blow
ekshok I am blowing on it
yehshok she or he is blowing on it

blow (nose)
stsįį ch'ishxį́įth I am blowing my nose
chiitah ish-thį́įth I am blowing my nose

blue
The same Tanacross word covers the colors blue through green.
deldlêedz
jâan tthíishúus deldlêedz sínt'eh this is a blue hat

blueberry
    jêg berries in general, but usually referring to blueberries
    nit-sį́į' ripe blueberries
    ch'inłuut unripe (green) blueberries also hail
    ch'indą̌ąy' flower of blueberry (that grows into berry)

bluff
dzendaax
syn cliff

boat
Included here are words for boats and traveling by boat.
    ts'eyh modern boat or skiff
    k'įį ts'eyh birch bark canoe
    wudzih theth ts'eyh caribou skin boat
    lxǒdz' large skin boat
    ts'eyh tl'á' stern of a boat
    ghihkeeł I'm going by boat

imperfective paradigm
ghihkeeł	ts'aakeeł
ghinkeeł	ghahkeeł
aakeeł	xaakeeł

naghishkeeł I'm boating back

body
    wushenh his or her whole body also spirit
    ch'ethěeg' dead body
  syn corpse
    ssék my torso, upper body

bog
xaałeł
syn swamp

boil
Different words are used for the act of boiling or if something is boiling.
ekmeets I'm boiling it

imperfective paradigm
ekmeets	yits'ehmeets
įhmeets	ahmeets
yehmeets	xiyehmeets

    shaadeh sâay ehmeets my older sister is boiling rice
    xiyikadameets dehnęyh it (meat) is par-boiled
    tnelxots it is boiling
    tuu tnelxots the water is boiling
    ldîil gha tuu tnelxodz sínt'eh this is boiling water for tea
    dátl'ánélxots it boiled over

bone
tth'enh

book
dináhtl'aa also paper

boots
kench'ǒdl' mukluks
ch'edzaa théth kench'ǒdl' caribou legging mukluks

border
mâagh border or edge (of something)
wumâagh nanettl'uun sínt'eh it is sown along the edges also edge

boreal owl
thuułshiid (Aegolius funereus)

bored
    ts'ondéh shédhéhxęę I am bored literally 'boredom is killing me'
    ts'axnintthenh she or he is bored, has nothing to do, lethargic
    nah'ôg ehchaan éł ts'axnintthenh it is raining outside so she or he is bored

born
    shexunłęę I was born
    Fairbanks deh ch'e shexunłeen I was born in Fairbanks
    mexunłęę she or he or it was born
    Saagescheeg deh ch'e mexunłeen she or he was born in Ketchumstuk (and has passed away)

borrow
see loan

botfly (caribou fly)
ch'egú'

bother
    yi'éł nách'éhłaay he's bothering it
    sh'éł nádájéhłaay that sound is bothering me
    sų́'ų wu'éł nách'ų́hłaay don't bother it

bottom
wukeetl'aa it's bottom also sole
shkentsįįth keetl'aa the bottom of my moccasin

bounce
    yadegket I am bouncing it
    yach'ehdeth it is bouncing (up and down)
    shég yik'et ts'į́' yach'ehdeth it is bouncing up and down on it

bow (weapon)
ts'ehtįį' a bow
ts'ehtįį' tl'ǔul' bow string

bowl
tutiił xěez'

box
chenhtiił also casket, coffin

boy
tsiil boy
tsiil gaay young boy

boyfriend
wu'éł natihdaag my boy or girlfriend literally 'the one I usually go around with' also girlfriend

brag
dach'áa' dadetdlíh she or he is bragging about him or her self
dach'áa' ég'ęh I did something to brag about

braid
nektl'uuł I am braiding it

imperfective paradigm
nektl'uuł	ts'enehtl'uuł
nįhtl'uuł	nahtl'uuł
yinehtl'uuł	xyinehtl'uuł

shtthí' néktl'uuł I am braiding my hair
niłtthí' xnéltl'uuł they are braiding each other's hair

brain
shtthiixą̌ą' my brain

branch
ch'elaa'eł tree branch
ch'ethuchěnn' stump of branch remaining after branch is broken off or a knot in wood

brave
k'á niljéd

bread
łeedón'

break
    detxotl it is broken down, not working
    aałel etxotl the car is broken down
    shgáan' étxoł my arm is broken
    łatnetxotl broken up

perfective paradigm
dedhekxoł	dzehxoł
dedhįhxoł	dedhahxoł
yidehxoł	xiydehxoł

xátnekxótl I broke it apart
tl'uuł k'enéldox the rope broke

break-up
    téedéek
    łuut téedéek the ice is breaking up
    tenh téedéek the ice is ready to move, break up

breast
sht'úu' my breast

breastbone
shyuutth'ěnn' my breastbone

breath
shdaashěey' my breath

breathe
ishsheyh I am breathing

imperfective paradigm
ishsheyh	ts'etsheyh
itsheyh	atsheyh
etsheyh	xetsheyh

bridge
xtsiił also fish weir
yaanâan xtsiil kenin'ah a bridge crosses the water

bright (visual)
xdelgeyh it is bright

bring
    yinin'ąą she or he brought it
    jah yinin'ąą she or he brought it here
    tthíish_úus nin'ąą she or he brought a hat
    dayinintąą he brought it in (stick-like object)
    neeshax nîits'iltęę we brought him back to our house
    xûuy iin éł taghinłeeł bring those things with you too
    xaghį́htęę she or he brought him, her or it (animal) out (by reaching into something)
    tehmíił shíi ts�enh łuug xaghį́htęę s/he brought out a fish from inside the fishnet
    shchêl shaa tsets nîidelsheek my younger brother is bringing in wood for me

brisket
ch'eyutth'ěnn'

brittle
det-thayh

broke (no money)
shlsǎaz' kôl I'm broke

broken
see break

broom
wu'éł ts'axuthîid
wu'éł jet-thîid

broth
tuutheł
syn soup

brother
Tanacross has different words for older and younger brothers.
shundaagh my older brother
shchêl my younger brother

brother-in-law
Tanacross has different words for referring to a man's brother-in-law or a women's brother in law.
shłenh my brother-in-law (man's)
shxeh my brother-in-law (women's)

brown
The same word includes yellows and browns.
    deltthogh the brown one
    jâan eek deltthogh sínt'eh this is a brown coat
    deltthox it is brown
    ch'eliitthǒgh' déltthox grizzly bears are brown also yellow

bruise
    tsetl bruise, black and blue mark
    wudǎagh' tsetl ni'it-'ąą somebody gave him or her a black eye
    iltúuts it is swollen, bruised
    xetnélttheey éł wutthí� iltúuts it (for example, a rock) fell down and bruised his/her head

brush
ts'étl
ts'étl tah nihshah I went through the brush

brushman
Brushman are the topic of many stories.
gųų Brush Indian. People in stories that lived apart from society and were often intent in capturing children or women.
syn wildman also bug, insect, worm

bubble
    taxunxos bubble
    xashotl bubbling
    xashotl edeex it is bubbling up

buckbrush
łuudh
syn mountain willow, dwarf birch

bucket
nadh'aay
syn pail

bufflehead (duck)
tleełttheedl
k'éłttheel (Bucephala albeola)

bug (insect)
    gųų general term for any kind of bug
  syn insect also worm, brushman, wildman
kinds of bugs
    tehk'ąąy an orange and white bug that lives at the bottom of lakes, has and moves sideways.
    tehtsá'a water bug that can fly in the air
    ts'ąądihttheeg water bug, bloodsucker
    ts'aketl'aag a kind of bug or beetle

build
see make

bullet
k'áatthé'
syn ammunition

bumblebee
ch'elahdziid

bump
    mech'edhektés I bumped it
    xets'ésdhektés I bumped my elbow
    xegótdhektés I bumped my knee

bumpy
nén' xánéltók the ground is bumpy

bundle
mech'ekcheth I bundled it, tied it together

bunting (black snow)
wugaał sęy

burbot
ts'aan (Lota lota)
syn lingcod

burl
dechenh ch'etxeez
syn wood burl

burn
    deek'én' it is burning
    k'ech'ii'aadl k'et díi ch'e deek'en'? what's that burning on the table?
    neldzeey k'ech'ii'aadl k'et deek'én' a lit candle is burning on the table
    natet-łeg deek'én' the car is running literally 'the car is burning'

burst
eltétl it burst

bury
    taatsah she or he or it buries (something)
    deshí'i' taatsah it buries it's food
    dzenh deshí'i xey ukah etsah muskrat buries his food for winter
    chaatsah someone will bury something

bush (away from town or village)
ts'étl
ts'étl tah dhihdah I live in the bush

busy
xoksaas I'm keeping busy, passing time

imperfective paradigm
xoksaas	ts'axahsaas
xųhsaas	xahsaas
xahsaas	xaxahsaas

but
t'o
k'áhmén dą́'ą xesadin'á', t'o k'ahdú' k'oth xu1nł̨ę it was sunny this morning, but it's cloudy now

butcher
nayeh'oł he is butchering it
na'ek-'oł I am butchering it now

butter
basdlah

butterfingers
mintl'ách'étdaax she or he has butterfingers, drops things
syn clumsy

butterfly
laalêel

buttocks (seat)
shtl'á' my butt

button
ch'etsǒl'

buy
ughihkéet I bought it

perfective paradigm
ughihkéet	yuts'ughinkéet
ughinkéet	ughahkéet
yughinkéet	xyughinkeet

wukęy' k'á' ughinkéet her husband bought a gun

imperfective paradigm
u'ihkéet	yits'ukéet
u'inkéet	u'ahkéet
yuukéet	xiyukéet

by
ghá'
ts'enîin etdzuug gha wunąą yédadée'ah the mischievous child was scolded by his or her mother

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