Sm'algyax
Coast Tsimshian
Tsimshianic (Maritime)
Coast Tsimshian (Sm'algyax) is a Tsimshianic language of the British Columbia and southeast Alaska coast. Like its Northwest Coast neighbors, it has a rich consonant system with ejectives (k', t', p'), uvulars, and pharyngeal-like sounds. Major revitalization efforts include immersion schools at Lax Kw'alaams.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Coast Tsimshian
Water
ax̱s
/aχs/
Fire
laḵw
/laqʷ/
Sun
gyemk
/ɡʲemk/
Moon
gemk
/ɡemk/
Mother
naa
/naː/
Father
baba
/baba/
Eat
lalji
/laldʒi/
Drink
hoos
/huːs/
Love
ksu'hahkw
/ksuʔhahkʷ/
Heart
ootnasx̱
/oːtnasχ/
Tree
gan
/ɡan/
House
walp
/walp/
Dog
hashasaa
/haʃasaː/
Cat
doosgi
/duːsɡi/
Hand
an'oon
/anʔoːn/
Eye
mooḵs
/muːqs/
Hello
ndii ne
/ndiː ne/
Thank you
t'oyaxsut nüsm
/tʼojaχsut nysm/
One
ḵoo'iyaa
/qoːʔijaː/
Good
am'
/amʔ/
Sources
- Boas (1911) — Tsimshian
- Ethnologue: tsi
Words compared
Compared with related Tsimshianic (Maritime) languages
| Meaning | Coast Tsimshian | Mam | Central Mam | Ixil | Bishnupriya Manipuri | Wolof | Tongan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ax̱s /aχs/ | aʼ /aʔ/ | aʼ /aʔ/ | aʼ /aʔ/ | পানি /paːni/ | ndox /ndɔx/ | vai /vai/ |
| Fire | laḵw /laqʷ/ | qʼaqʼ /qʼaqʼ/ | qʼaqʼ /qʼaqʼ/ | tzaʼ /tsaʔ/ | আগুন /aːɡun/ | safara /safaɾa/ | afi /afi/ |
| Sun | gyemk /ɡʲemk/ | qʼij /qʼih/ | qʼiij /qʼiːh/ | qʼii /qʼiː/ | বিল /bil/ | jant /dʒant/ | laʻā /laʔaː/ |
| Moon | gemk /ɡemk/ | xjaw /ʃaw/ | xjaaw /ʃhaːw/ | ich /itʃ/ | জুনাক /dʒunak/ | weer /wɛːɾ/ | māhina /maːhina/ |
| Mother | naa /naː/ | nan /nan/ | nan /nan/ | naʼ /naʔ/ | মা /maː/ | yaay /jaːj/ | faʻē /faʔeː/ |
| Father | baba /baba/ | mam /mam/ | mam /mam/ | baʼ /baʔ/ | বাবা /baːba/ | baay /baːj/ | tamai /tamai/ |
| Eat | lalji /laldʒi/ | waan /waːn/ | waaʼn /waːʔn/ | tzaʼbʼi /tsaʔɓi/ | খাব /kʰaːb/ | lekk /lɛkː/ | kai /kai/ |
| Drink | hoos /huːs/ | kʼaan /kʼaːn/ | kʼaaʼn /kʼaːʔn/ | ucha /utʃa/ | পান কর /paːn kaɾ/ | naan /naːn/ | inu /inu/ |
| Love | ksu'hahkw /ksuʔhahkʷ/ | oqxan /oqʃan/ | oqʼxen /oqʼʃen/ | kuxhewchʼa /kuʃewtʃʼa/ | মায়া /maja/ | mbëggeel /mbəɡːɛːl/ | ʻofa /ʔofa/ |
| Heart | ootnasx̱ /oːtnasχ/ | anma /anma/ | anmiʼn /anmiʔn/ | vatzʼ /vatsʼ/ | মন /mon/ | xol /xɔl/ | loto /loto/ |
| Tree | gan /ɡan/ | tzeʼ /tseʔ/ | tzeʼ /tseʔ/ | tze /tse/ | গাছ /ɡaːtʃʰ/ | garab /ɡaɾab/ | ʻakau /ʔakau/ |
| House | walp /walp/ | jaa /haː/ | jaaʼ /haːʔ/ | kabʼal /kaɓal/ | ঘর /ɡʱaɾ/ | kër /kəɾ/ | fale /fale/ |
| Dog | hashasaa /haʃasaː/ | txʼyan /tʃʼjan/ | txʼyaan /tʃʼjaːn/ | txʼiʼ /tʃʼiʔ/ | কুট্টা /kuʈːaː/ | xaj /xaj/ | kulī /kuliː/ |
| Cat | doosgi /duːsɡi/ | wiix /wiːʃ/ | wiix /wiːʃ/ | mees /meːs/ | বিল্লি /bilːi/ | muus /muːs/ | pusi /pusi/ |
| Hand | an'oon /anʔoːn/ | qʼobʼ /qʼoɓ/ | qʼobʼ /qʼoɓ/ | qʼabʼ /qʼaɓ/ | হাত /haːt/ | loxo /lɔxɔ/ | nima /nima/ |
| Eye | mooḵs /muːqs/ | witz /wits/ | witz /wits/ | vusal /vusal/ | চোখ /tʃokʰ/ | bët /bət/ | mata /mata/ |
| Hello | ndii ne /ndiː ne/ | chjonte tey /tʃhonte tej/ | chjonte tey /tʃhonte tej/ | nimaʼla kuxhewchʼa /nimaʔla kuʃewtʃʼa/ | নমস্কার /nomoskar/ | na nga def /na ŋɡa dɛf/ | mālō e lelei /maːloː e lelei/ |
| Thank you | t'oyaxsut nüsm /tʼojaχsut nysm/ | chjonte /tʃhonte/ | chjonte /tʃhonte/ | tantixh /tantiʃ/ | ধইন্যবাদ /dʱoinjobaːd/ | jërëjëf /dʒəɾədʒəf/ | mālō /maːloː/ |
| One | ḵoo'iyaa /qoːʔijaː/ | jun /hun/ | juun /huːn/ | jun /hun/ | এক /ek/ | benn /bɛnː/ | taha /taha/ |
| Good | am' /amʔ/ | banix /baniʃ/ | baʼnxh /baʔnʃ/ | utzʼ /utsʼ/ | ভালা /bʱaːlaː/ | baax /baːx/ | lelei /lelei/ |
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