Category: Language

  • word of interest: ḡaḡabelái

    I recently came across the x̄á’isla word ḡaḡabelái. According to the Lincoln & Rath dictionary, this word has two meanings: 1) to tickle somebody 2) the star-shaped structure which often remains behind when a berry is picked Here’s a recording of the word: And here’s a picture that shows the second sense of the word:…

  • word of interest: ’eníq̓ixʷ

    ’eníq̓ixʷ is a x̄á’isla word for something called a “woodworm” or “shipworm”. Here’s how the word is pronounced: Woodworms are actually a type of beetle, which you can see here: The beetles lay eggs on trees or wood and when they hatch, the larvae start digging holes in the wood, which looks like this: As…

  • word of interest: qʷeƛemx̄λála

    I’m starting a new feature on this website that I’m calling “Word of Interest”. I was originally going to call it the “Word of the Week” but I don’t really want to be obligated to do it on a regular schedule. Instead, when I come across a x̄á’isla word that I find interesting at any…

  • Is that good-tasting?

    When someone is eating, you can ask them about how it tastes in x̄á’islak̓ala. It would go like this: begʷánem 1: sílu ’íxp̓a (Is that good-tasting? Yes or no) begʷánem 2: ’nna, ’íxp̓u (Yes, it is good-tasting now) The x̄á’isla word for person is begʷánem, below is an audio recording you can listen to and…

  • I’ll See You Again

    Recently, a x̄á’isla elder came to my house. I was in my front yard assembling a work table and he came looking for my mom. I’m familiar with this elder and had done some language work with him in recent years. It had been some time since I last saw and spoke with him. He…

  • video: xa’isla study group July 10-25

    Here’s the video replay of the x̄á’isla study group that took place on Zoom on July 10, 2025.

  • video: x̄á’isla study group July 3-25

    Here is the replay of the x̄á’isla study group that took place on on Zoom on July 3, 2025.

  • x̄á’isla study group: July 3-25

    I’ve started what I call the x̄á’isla study group for people wanting to learn about the x̄á’isla language. It takes place on Zoom and is free for anyone to join. It’s not a formal class, we’ll be keeping things casual as we explore different aspects of the language. It runs every Thursday evening at 7:00…

  • How To Say ḡeps ḡáulex̄: Part 1

    If you’ve ever heard or seen the name ḡeps ḡáulex̄, you might be wondering how it’s pronounced. Well, the best way to learn how to pronounce it is to hear someone say it. I’ve made a recording, which you can listen to below. There have been various spellings of this name (G’psgolox, Gup’s Golox), but…