Nuu-Chah-Nulth

Nuu-Chah-Nulth (Nuučaan̓uł / T’aat’aaqsapa)

Nuu-Chah-Nulth is a southern Wakashan language spoken by about 150-200 people
on the Northwest coast of British Columbia in Canada. The language
is more commonly known as Nootka, an Anglicised version of Nu-chah-nulth
or Nuuchahnulth, which means “along the mountains” and is prefered
by those who speak it.

Nu-chah-nulth is spoken mainly by elders, but there is increasing
interest in the language among younger Nu-chah-nulth people.

The Nuu-Chah-Nulth language was first mentioned in the writings of
European explorers and traders who visited Nootka Sound and others areas
with Nuu-chah-nulth communities, and 1815 saw the publication of a memoir
by an English blacksmith, John R. Jewitt, who was held captive in
Nootka Sound. He tried to learn the language and included a brief
glossary of words in his memoir.

Nuu-Chah-Nulth pronunciation

Nuu-Chah-Nulth pronunciation

Sample text in Nuu-Chah-Nulth

Standard orthography

ʔUyaaƛaḥ hawiiʔaƛii maapt̓ał c̓išaaʔatḥ ʔuukʷił yuułuʔiłʔatḥ ʔaḥʔaaʔaƛsi n̓ačuʔałʔaƛsi hiikʷis. Meʔiƛqacʔissi ʔiiqḥii ʔanaḥʔis. C̓uʔičḥ qaʔuła p̓iip̓inw̓ałiiq ʔeʔiiḥiiq c̓išaaʔatḥ qaʔuła. Huʔanakšiʔaƛ nism̓a hiteʔitap̓aƛ ʔukʷił yuułuʔiłʔatḥ maapt̓ał. ʔUunuuʔaƛ ʔaḥʔaa ḥałḥaqułʔaƛ qaʔuła ʔani ƛułukqa ƛ̓uƛ̓im c̓eʔinwa hiłḥʔaƛ ƛ̓asatis sučicaqimł qaʔuła.

Bouchard orthography

7uyaatlaẖ hawii7atlii maapt’alh ts’ishaa7atẖ 7uukwilh yuulhu7ilhatẖ 7aẖ7aa7atlsi n̓achu7alh7atlsi hiikwis. Me7itlḵats7issi 7iiḵẖii 7anaẖ7is. Ts’u7ichẖ ḵa7ulha p’iip’inw̓alhiiḵ 7e7iiẖiiḵ ts’ishaa7atẖ ḵa7ulha. Hu7anakshi7atl nism̓a hite7itap’atl 7ukwilh yuulhu7ilh7atẖ maapt’alh. 7uunuu7atl 7aẖ’aa ẖalhẖaḵulh7atl ḵa7ulha 7ani tlulhukḵa tl’uch’im ts’e7inwa hilhẖ7atl tl’asatis suchitsaḵimlh ḵa7ulha.

Source: http://www.languagegeek.com/wakashan/nuuchahnulthtext.html

Links

Information about the Nuu-Chah-Nulth Language
http://www.native-languages.org/nootka.htm
http://www.languagegeek.com/wakashan/nuuchahnulth.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuu-chah-nulth_language

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