Heiltsuk Alphabet Chart – Audio by John Rath

Alphabet Chart created by the Heiltsuk Cultural Education Centre, 1986. Text by John Rath, illustrations by Shirl Hall.


 

Part 1 – Obstruents

Plosives

Fricatives

Plain

Aspirated

Glottalized
 

b

básbúlí

rose hip
  

p

púxva

blow with mouth
  

p̓

p̓uái

halibut

d

 

daṇdáṇ

bell

t

 

tsá

to push

t̓


t̓álús

slices of dried fish

z


zúsa

to dig

c


cása

to pour water

c̓


c̓ṃ́

index finger

s


sṃ́s

mouth

λ


λáλap̓ika

woodpecker

ƛ


ƛizáyú

racket

ƛ́


ƛ́gís

heart

ɫ


ɫáɫa

monster with basket

g


gḷá

to go on all fours

k


kála

hold up on palms of hands

k̓


k̓ásk̓ás

claws, talons

x


xṇ́dac̓i

mirror

gv


gvúgví

leg

kv


kvíkva

whistle with fingers

k̓v


k̓vák̓vṃt̓a

hummingbird

xv


xvḷ́tḷá

fire

ǧv


ǧválás

lizard

qv


qvínáyu

key

q́v


q́vúq̓vs

mountain

x̌v


x̌vdáyú

knife

ǧ


ǧṇṃ́

woman, female

q


qqs

eye

q̓


q̓gṇá

halibut hook

x̌


x̌áx̌

bone

Part 2 – Resonants

Plain

Glottalized

Consonantal

Vocalic

Consonantal

Vocalic

with high tone

with low tone

m


muác̓i

bath tub

ṃ́


c̓ṃ́

index finger

ṃ


k̓vúdṃ

nail

m̓


m̓ṇúkv

one

ṃ̓


k̓váxdṃ̓a

chair

n


nínúya

to sing

ṇ́


ɫṇ́ta

to blow the nose

ṇ


yádṇ

rattle

n̓


n̓usí

moon month

ṇ̓


c̓ṇ̓íƛḷá

procession into house

l


luáɫ

ghost

ḷ́


mḷ́xvḷá

to smile

ḷ


tsḷsá

to push while outside

l̓


l̓ǧṃ́

putty

ḷ̓


sḷ̓ṃ́bá

bit for drilling

y


yádṇ

rattle

í


mít

porcupine

i


ƛizáyú

racket

y̓


y̓úgva

to rain, spell of rain

i̓


p̓sp̓i̓ú

ear

w


wáwádi

kelp

ú


púxva

blow with mouth

u


gvusí

potatoes

w̓


w̓áx̌ac̓i

pipe for smoke or smoking

u̓


t̓út̓u̓a

star

h


háy̓ásu

hand

á


k̓vás

small mussels

a


k̓vas

to sit outside

h̓


láh̓á

yes

a̓


λa̓ús

tree to stand outside

ħ

see accompanying booklet

ʔ

see accompanying booklet