Tsetsaut language
Encyclopedia
Tsetsaut is an extinct Athabascan language formerly spoken in the Portland Canal
area of northwestern British Columbia
. Virtually everything known of the language comes from the limited material recorded by Franz Boas
in 1894 from two Tsetsaut slaves of the Nisga'a
, which is enough to establish that Tsetsaut formed its own branch of Athabaskan. It is not known precisely when the language became extinct. One speaker was still alive in 1927. The Nisga'a name
for the Tsetsaut people is "Jits'aawit"
The Tsetsaut referred to themselves as the Wetaŀ. The English name Tsetsaut is an anglicization of [tsʼətsʼaut], "those of the interior", used by the Gitksan and Nisga'a
to refer to the Athabaskan-speaking people to the north and east of them, including not only the Tsetsaut but some Tahltan
and Sekani
.
Portland Canal
The Portland Canal is an arm of Portland Inlet, one of the principal inlets of the British Columbia Coast. It is approximately long. The Portland Canal forms part of the border between southeastern Alaska and British Columbia. The name of the entire inlet in the Nisga'a language is K'alii...
area of northwestern British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. Virtually everything known of the language comes from the limited material recorded by Franz Boas
Franz Boas
Franz Boas was a German-American anthropologist and a pioneer of modern anthropology who has been called the "Father of American Anthropology" and "the Father of Modern Anthropology." Like many such pioneers, he trained in other disciplines; he received his doctorate in physics, and did...
in 1894 from two Tsetsaut slaves of the Nisga'a
Nisga'a
The Nisga’a , often formerly spelled Nishga and spelled in the Nisga’a language as Nisga’a, are an Indigenous nation or First Nation in Canada. They live in the Nass River valley of northwestern British Columbia. Their name comes from a combination of two Nisga’a words: Nisk’-"top lip" and...
, which is enough to establish that Tsetsaut formed its own branch of Athabaskan. It is not known precisely when the language became extinct. One speaker was still alive in 1927. The Nisga'a name
Nisga'a language
Nisga’a is a Tsimshianic language of the Nisga'a people of northwestern British Columbia. Nisga'a people, however, do not like the term Tshimshianic as they feel that it gives precedence to Coast Tsimshian. Nisga’a is very closely related to Gitksan...
for the Tsetsaut people is "Jits'aawit"
The Tsetsaut referred to themselves as the Wetaŀ. The English name Tsetsaut is an anglicization of [tsʼətsʼaut], "those of the interior", used by the Gitksan and Nisga'a
Nisga'a
The Nisga’a , often formerly spelled Nishga and spelled in the Nisga’a language as Nisga’a, are an Indigenous nation or First Nation in Canada. They live in the Nass River valley of northwestern British Columbia. Their name comes from a combination of two Nisga’a words: Nisk’-"top lip" and...
to refer to the Athabaskan-speaking people to the north and east of them, including not only the Tsetsaut but some Tahltan
Tahltan language
Tahltan is a poorly documented Northern Athabaskan language historically spoken by the Tahltan people who live in northern British Columbia around Telegraph Creek, Dease Lake, and Iskut. Some linguists consider Tahltan to be a language with 3 divergent but mutually intelligible dialects...
and Sekani
Sekani language
The Sekani language is a Northern Athabaskan language spoken by the Sekani people of north-central British Columbia, Canada.-Consonants:Sekani has 33 consonants:* *Sekani, like other Athabaskan languages, does not contrast fricatives with approximants....
.
Examples
- ɬoʔ fish
- xɔ grizzly bear
- xadzinε male deer
- qax rabbit
- goʔ snake
- ts’alε frog
- ts’esdja mosquito
- tsrāmaʔ wasp
- at’ɔ nest
- εkyagɔ ankle
- aɬʼɔqʼ liver
- dlε dance
- kwuɬʼ dirt
- na mother
- täʼ father
- isča grandchild
- axa hair
- aɬa(ʔ) hand
- txa kick
- mmē lake
- xutsʼedeʼ left