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