Lesson #31: Jade Mountain

Leda Jules: Pelly Banks dialect

 


Martina: Dene kʼéh gūdzedūdéhī.
People-way-letʼs talk.
Let’s talk Kaska.
Leda: Ham.
Yes.
Martina: Hís detlʼise kū́hdigé gísdah.
Mountain-blue-up there-I walked around.
I went up to Jade Mountain.
Leda: Kū́hdigé gūtī-am?
Up there-good-question?
Oh, was it nice up there?
Martina: Łā́néyéh gūtīe.
Really nice.
Dzídzestsidle áhlādé gū́līn kū́hdigé.
Little blueberries-some-there were-up there.
There were some little blueberries up there.
Dēsgū́h blueberries dendī-ā Dene kʼéh?
What way-blueberries-you say-people-way?
How do you say blueberries in Kaska?
Leda: Dahbǎ nī́ʼ kah dahbǎʼ “dzídzestsį̄dle”, gī́hdī lā.
Blueberries-ground-on- dzédzestsį̄dle-they say-assert.
Those little blueberries growing on the ground they call dzédzestsį̄dle.
[Note both dzédzetsį̄dle and dzédzestsedle above]
Martina: Dahbǎʼ nístlōnī nêsbéʼ
Blueberries-lots-I picked.
I picked lots of blueberries.
Leda: Łą̄́ gūtīe! Īyéh senīkʼī áhlādé kûsyā dige.
Really-good!-then-me too-some-I will go get-for.
Really good! Maybe Iʼll go get some too.

 

Q1: Dēsgū́h ezís enzoy-ā?
How do you tan moose hide?
A1: Mida tsʼį̄́ʼ néndī déʼ kūndį̄́ sį̄́.
Help Mida and you will learn.
Q2: Dēsgū́h gah yedenchʼīl-ā?
How do you skin a rabbit?
A2: Esgā́nhtān dé nekūsdį̄́ sį̄́.
Watch me, then you will learn.
Q3: Dēsgū́h lasagne enhtʼḗz-ā?
How do you make lasagne?
A3: Kíhseh onions enhtʼḗs sauce dege.
First fry some onions for the sauce.
Q4: Dēsgū́h ahnā́né tūʼ nā́sdį̄ʼ tūdzūhʼā́zā?
How can we cross the river?
A4: Hį̄́s dzūleī!
Let’s make a raft!
C1: Mida tsʼį̄́ʼ,”Dēsgū́h gū́stsį̄dle yéh nḗnentsig-ā?” yéndīʼ
Ask Mida how to sew beads.
Q5: Dēsgū́h kētʼak kā gū́stsį̄dle yéh nḗnentsíg-ā?
How do you sew beads on a moccasin top?
Q6: Dēsgū́h “my relatives” déndī-ā Dene kʼéh?
How do you say “my relatives” in Kaska?
A6: “Ests’ínī.”
“My relatives.”
Q7: ʼAh enghat yḗndī́h-am?
Do you know how to net snowshoes?
A7: Łā́néyéh dédédlah lā. Amos tsʼį̄ʼ kḗdzedūdî.
It’s hard. We’ll ask Amos.
Q8: Ī łūge dēsgū́h dīnhtʼḗz-ā?
How will you cook that fish?
Q9: Dēsgū́h łūge senhtʼe-ā?
How did you cook that fish?
A8: Kón tsʼį̄́ʼ sestʼeʼ
I roasted it by the fire.