This is a list of full words from the wísenis x̄á’islak̓ala language package by Emmon Bach. The words are listed as singular forms, if a word has an arrow in front of it you can click on it to see the plural form or read other relevant information about the word.

You can scroll though the list or click on a letter below to jump to the section of words starting with that letter.

Search by Letter

’a	’e	’i	’n	’u	b	c	c̓	d	λ
g	gʷ	ḡ	ḡʷ	h	k	kʷ	k̓	k̓ʷ	l
ɫ	m	m̓	n	n̓	p̓	q	q̓	q̓ʷ	s
t̓	ƛ	ƛ̓	w	w̓	xʷ	x̄	x̄ʷ	y	y̓
z

---

’a

Back to top

’á’ent: herring eggs

’agám: all, each, every

’agegeƛái: all on the surface

’áḡala: to answer (a question)

Plural: ’i’áḡala

’áḡalay̓u: answer (an)

’am̓akáp̓st̓axʷ (-kʷ): racing (seem to be), seem to be racing, trying to be first

’au: or

’aup: father

Plural: ’í’aup

’awáiyud: settle (let), skim

Lincoln & Rath (1986) spelling: ’u’ísa

’áxʷa: to skim grease or anything off surface of liquid

’e

Back to top

’ebúxʷ (-kʷ): mother

Plural: ’ibúxʷ (-kʷ)

’emái: at all, not, little, small

’enáx̄ʷ (+ endings): if, when

’engʷá: who?

Plural: ’i’engʷá

’eníqa: firewood

’enís: aunt

Plural: ’i’enís

’i

Back to top

’ik̓áiqela: glad, happy

’íksduqʷia: eagle

’íku: able to, can (may, be able to)

’isλám: now, present time, today

’iw̓áuw̓is: equal in size to something

’ix (-k): fine, good

’íxp̓a: good-tasting

’n

Back to top

’nna (or ’enna): yes

’u

Back to top

’ubáls: end (of village)

’uísda: family, surroundings

’um̓ác̓eskasu: big thing, huge thing

’úm̓as: big, really, very

’úq̓ʷa: believe

’úx̄ʷa: also, too, either (with negative)

’úx̄ʷλa: mouth (of river or bay)

b

Back to top

babá’u: grandfather

báƛa: fathom (measurement)

baƛí: measurement made by spread arms

begʷánem: human, person

Plural: bíbegʷanem

bek̓ʷála: talk, discuss, speak

Bostonaqsem: American woman

c

Back to top

cíx̄sdud: put hot rocks into water or liquid

cíx̄ʷa: wild crabapple, sour

cúsa: dry (to)

c̓

Back to top

c̓ik̓ʷ: bird

c̓úxʷλema: grandchild

c̓úxʷλemax’id: great-grandchild

d

Back to top

da: take

daid: give

dáp̓iu: take along

daud: take out

daum: sticks for hanging up oolichans to dry

dáxʷa: hang up

deláid: really, very

denás: cedar bark strips

du: and (connects nouns)

duént: name

dúqʷa: to look at

dúqʷela: looking, seeing

dútiɫa: relate, tell

λ

Back to top

λáka: fish with a net

λáw̓es: tree or person standing up outside

λu: do again, once more

Shortened form of λu’elá

λú’el: nephew, niece

g

Back to top

ga: this (near me)

gáda: here (near me), this (near me)

gáden̓a (gádena): this (near me = gáda)

gáiqela: come from, originate

gála: ancient, old time, early

gáx̄’iɫ: come in, enter

gáx̄aɫa: come along

gáx̄atusina: come down channel,come downriver

gax̄ay̓axc̓in: come away

gáx̄gusdu: come up (gáx̄gusdiwa?)

gecáuqʷ (-ḡʷ): Beaver clan

Plural: gigecáuqʷ (-ḡʷ).

gélw̓a: canoe

gélw̓agila: make a canoe

genc: own (near me)

gísa: put onto the ground

gu’áƛa: help

gu’aƛáp̓: help each other

gúkʷela: live (inhabit), reside

gúkʷelut: co-resident, fellow villager

gusí: potatoes (Gl.)

This is the x̄enáksiala version. The x̄á’isla (Gm.) version is gusíd (-t), from the English “good seed”.

guxʷ (-kʷ): house

gúxʷdema: village

gʷ

Back to top

gʷasáu: pig: (from Chinook Jargon)

gʷiá: wake someone up

gʷítela: Tsimshian (Coast Tsimshian)

gʷítelaqsem: Tsimshian woman

ḡ

Back to top

ḡaax̄ (-q): raven

ḡáḡap: grandparent

ḡáḡap̓id: great-grandparent

ḡánuɫ: evening, night

ḡáq̓inix̄ʷ: Raven clan

Plural: ḡiḡáq̓inix̄ʷ

ḡas: come

ḡeném: female, wife, woman

ḡelám̓isi: (they are/were) waiting on beach

This is from a story, it’s based on ḡelám̓is which means “to wait on the beach or field”

ḡiágiwalids: added on (something added on)

ḡiála: long (time), long time ago, old times

ḡída: that (remote), this (remote)

ḡíden̓a (ḡídena): that (remote), this (remote = ḡída)

ḡúda: that (near you)

ḡúden̓a: that (near you = ḡúda)

ḡʷ

Back to top

ḡʷail: do, do thus, do like that

ḡʷáila: be of a certain kind, like that, do in a certain way

ḡʷailás: doing, way of being, process (many meanings)

ḡʷaɫ: completed, finished

ḡʷaláusu: prepare, finish

ḡʷaɫelátela: put something up on a rack or structure

ḡʷális: finished on the beach

ḡʷális: ready, finished (on beach)

Also the name for October

ḡʷa’el̓s: prepared, ready (outdoors)

ḡʷeyém (ḡʷey̓ém): whale, humongous

ḡʷiaƛás: time

ḡʷiḡʷisdalás: the way things happen, turn out, condition

h

Back to top

hálakap̓: race, outspeed one another

hec̓íxʷ (-kʷ): wolf

helilás: Sunday (time of rest), week (old usage)

hélx̄’inix̄ʷ: orca, killerwhale, Killerwhale clan

Plural: hél’ex̄’inix̄ʷ, hihélx̄’inix̄ʷ

hemgilásu: to be cooking

hená: sing

Plural: hi’ená

hiláqʷa: say something, speak

híl̓uatus: wash down river

hím̓as: chief

Plural: him̓ás, hi’emás

his (-s): about, by, of

humá: to ask (a question)

húmec̓ua: person that’s always asking questions

k

Back to top

kakat̓á: hunt, try to shoot (with a gun)

kakut̓á: guess, try to find out

kála: carry (in a bowl)

káxλaludac̓i: pot

kúta: guess, think

kʷ

Back to top

kʷen̓ax̄ (-q): mink

kʷíxq̓a: angry

Plural: kʷíkʷexq̓a

k̓

Back to top

k̓ácan̓u: charcoal stick, pencil

k̓ánqas: crow

k̓áuziɫ: bentwood box

Plural: k̓ik̓áuziɫ

k̓éci: don’t

This is a command form. Ex: k̓éci yálekʷa: don’t get hurt

k̓uu: no, not, do not

k̓ʷ

Back to top

k̓ʷá’iɫ: sit down (inside/indoors)

k̓ʷáxdema: chair

k̓ʷec̓: hide (of animal), leather, skin (of animal)

k̓ʷísa: snow (coming down)

l

Back to top

la, l: at, in, to

láaɫa: accompany, go along with

láasdud: put into water or liquid

la’áiɫ (-ƛ): go inside

lá’ekc̓i: go away, leave

la’úɫdua: get out or off (boat, bus, car)

lác̓ua: put into a closed space or container

lagís: put on the ground

láin̓axʷ (-kʷ): to go home

lánƛa: me (to me)

lánƛanis: us (to us) (incl)

lánƛanuxʷ: us (to us) (excl)

láqia: catch, get, obtain

láqiamas: catch, get, obtain

lásdu: come up (time for something)

látem: where (something is or happens)

láuƛa: you (to you)

láw̓is: go across (the bay), go to town (across)

lax: him/her/it (to him/her/it near me)

lax̄gi: him/her/it (to him/her/it gone)

lax̄i: him/her/it (to him/her/it remote)

lax̄u: him/her/it (to him/her/it near you)

leḡʷabúd: make fire underneath something

leqʷá: fire, campfire

leqʷelá: camp, fire, logging camp

lexʷsúd: different, do something different for a change

log-sila’ina: handlogging

English word converted to x̄á’islak̓ala: láukʷ (log)

ɫ

Back to top

ɫánsλac: tomorrow

ɫáq̓esg: seaweed (edible)

ɫáw̓enem: husband

Plural: ɫiɫáw̓enem

ɫek̓ʷáni: older woman, female elder

m

Back to top

ma’eláuxʷ (-kʷ): two

mamá’u: grandmother

mámia: fish for salmon

miá: fish, salmon

miáinix̄ʷ: Salmon clan

Plural: mimiáinix̄ʷ

múziɫ: chief lady, matriarch, woman of high rank

Plural: músmeziɫ

m̓

Back to top

m̓ai: what (did you say)

m̓áisgas: what did you say? Pardon?

m̓áyaɫa: friend

m̓áy̓inix̄ʷ: what clan

m̓enáisut: brother (man’s), sister (woman’s). sibling of same gender

Plural: m̓im̓enáisut, m̓ím̓enisut

m̓enc̓eqs: one

m̓enex̄sids: one (?)

m̓úƛela: boiling

m̓úƛeludcu: boiled

m̓uƛilúd: boil something

n

Back to top

nis: mine, my

nísanis: our(s) (inclusive)

nísanuxʷ: our(s) (exclusive)

nuáqela: elder (man), male elder, older man

nuáqi: idea, mind, thoughts

núgʷa: I, me, be me

n̓

Back to top

n̓aká: to look for, to search for

Plural: n̓an̓eká

n̓auxʷ (-kʷ): one (person)

n̓áwiɫem: live alone

Plural: n̓áxn̓awiɫem

n̓exʷála: close, near

Plural: n̓in̓exʷála

n̓exʷaláls: close (outside), near (outside)

Plural: n̓in̓exʷaláls

n̓iá: string something up

p̓

Back to top

p̓áksan̓u: gear, implement, tool

p̓ála: work

Plural: p̓íp̓ala

p̓aláḡuala: work together

q

Back to top

qáɫela: to walk

qaqawat̓á: to listen attentively

qaus: yours

Plural: qíqus

qáutela: to hear, to understand (language)

Plural: qíqautela

qen: for, to (do something)

qi: that, the

qiki: that (was here, gone now)

qix (-k): this (near me)

qu: that (near you)

qulún: beaver

qut̓áusu: filled

q̓

Back to top

q̓ágec̓uels: day, daytime

q̓aká: to find (what you are looking for)

Plural: q̓aq̓eká

q̓ála: know

Plural: q̓iq̓ála

q̓apá: correct, hit the mark, right

Plural: q̓aq̓apá

q̓át̓idex̄ʷ: Hartley Bay (people of)

Plural: q̓iq̓át̓idex̄ʷ

q̓epénc̓ua: dump or pour into container or enclosed space

q̓ínemis: a lot, lots, much (on the beach?)

Plural: q̓ínemq̓amis

q̓iúɫ (-ƛ): get or catch a lot

q̓ʷ

Back to top

q̓ʷáx̄asa’in: growing (plants)

This word comes from a story. In full context, it would be «li q̓ʷáx̄asa’in» or «li q̓ʷáx̄asa’ina», which means “the plants are growing”. The /-a/ at the end is optional and it is up to the speaker if they want to include it or not.

q̓ʷelá: live, alive

Plural: q̓ʷíqʷela

q̓ʷémksiwak̓ala: English, speak English, white person’s language

q̓ʷémksiwaqsem: white woman

s

Back to top

sáik̓ʷa: gather, go after, hunt

sákela: to use

Used with /his/ or /-s/ (by, of, about). Ex: sákelatens k̓adáyugenc: I used my pen (near me). You could also say: sákelaten his k̓adáyugenc.

saksiwá: come to be aware of something

sásem: children, offspring

sásemnuxʷ (-kʷ): to have children

sasemzád: to have children

sáw̓ati: to use

Used with /his/ or /-s/ (by, of, about). Ex: sáw̓atitens k̓adáyugenc: I used my pen (near me). You could also say: sáw̓atitens his k̓adáyugenc.

sax̄g: to want, to want to do something

Plural: sáy̓ex̄g. Both singular and plural forms are used with a suffix followed by /his/ or /-s/ (by, of, about). Ex: sáx̄gen qen záxʷenax̄u: I want those oolichan (near you).

sáx̄gesu: wanted, to be wanted

semgác̓i: container or bin for boiling oolichans, oolichan boiling box

sémka: to extract oolichan grease, to render oolichans

t̓

Back to top

t̓epá: to fish with a line and hook, to troll

Plural: t̓ít̓epa

t̓epánuma: go fishing with a line and hook, go trolling

t̓et̓eqilá: to give advice, to teach

Plural: t̓i’et̓eqilá

t̓exáw̓ia: bridge

t̓ex̄í: uh (hesitation form)

This phrase appears when a fluent speaker is unsure of what they want to say next, kind of like when people say “um” or “you know?” in English.

t̓ípud: to press out oil

t̓ípuyac̓i: basket for pressing oolichans

t̓ísem: rock, stone

t̓íxʷa: black bear

ƛ

Back to top

ƛáka: to paddle, to travel by water

Plural: ƛiƛáka

ƛ̓

Back to top

ƛ̓ásiagʷemix: wolf (in x̄á’isla dialect)

ƛ̓áti: oolichan grease, oolichan oil

ƛ̓elísda: forget

ƛ̓ex’áƛela: first part (quarter) of month

ƛ̓i’elás: store

ƛ̓iá: to buy

Plural: ƛ̓iƛ̓iá

ƛ̓iásu: sold, to be sold

ƛ̓úbexʷ (-kʷ): root (of tree)

w

Back to top

wa: okay, well

waa: river

wáɫdem: things said, words

waɫp̓ás: flavour

wiágiwa: spring season

wiagiwam̓iás: Oolichan Camp, spring village

wísem: man, male

Plural: wí’esem

wísenis: let’s…

This is a command form that is followed by an action word. Ex: wísenis x̄á’islak̓ala: let’s speak x̄á’isla.

w̓

Back to top

w̓ac̓: dog

w̓áila: what is it? what is the matter with…?

w̓anúd: exchange, trade

Plural: w̓aw̓enúd

w̓aq̓ʷá: brother (woman’s), sister (man’s), sibling of opposite gender

Plural: w̓íw̓aq̓ʷa

w̓asali: amount, extent, size

w̓ásḡemiɫ: end, The End (traditional end of story)

w̓auxʷ (-kʷ): other, some

w̓aw̓ex̄ʷk̓ʷawá: parents, relatives

w̓ax̄: all (that), that which

w̓icekʷiƛ: don’t know how (much)

w̓igáiqela: where…come from?

w̓ilá: where?

w̓iláqʷ-: when? on which date?

w̓íw̓iaɫa: parents

w̓ix’íd: go where? (start to), moving where?

Plural: w̓iw̓ex’íd

xʷ

Back to top

xʷíqa: pull roots from ground

Plural: xʷíxʷeqa

x̄

Back to top

x̄ábexʷ (-kʷ): youth, young person

Plural: x̄e’ábexʷ, x̄i’x̄ábexʷ

x̄á’is: down channel, down river, south

x̄á’islak̓ala: Haisla language, talk Haisla

x̄enáksiala: Kemano/Kitlope people/place

x̄esduáxʷ (-kʷ): Kitlope Valley

Also x̄esduákʷsdu, which means “milky blue waters”

x̄esilá: to make a canoe

x̄esiláinix̄ʷ: canoe builder

x̄ʷ

Back to top

x̄ʷeɫáp: uncle (mother’s brother)

Plural: x̄ʷix̄ʷeɫáp

x̄ʷenúxʷ (-kʷ): child, offspring

y

Back to top

ya’uc̓: Hi

yálekʷa: come to harm, have an accident, hurt (be)

yeqsú: you, be you (Gm.)

Plural: yiyeqsú. This is the x̄á’isla version, the x̄enáksiala (Gl.) version is yeqʷsu (sg) and yiyeqʷsú (pl)

yeksúkʷela: go fast, to speed

y̓

Back to top

y̓ák̓iqela: sad, unhappy

Plural: y̓á’ik̓iqela

y̓áxʷp̓a: taste bad

y̓úgʷa: rain

z

Back to top

záxʷen: oolichan

zázaw̓a: harvest oolichan

zázaw̓a’ini: oolichan harvest, the harvesting of oolichans

zíqa: silent, be silent, stop talking

Plural: zízeqa