Lesson #40: Picking Berries

Leda Jules: Pelly Banks dialect

 

Subject indicated by the verb alone


Susan: Nehyéh dū́gū́jā́-ā?
With you plural-what happened?
What happened to you guys?
Aggie: Tsēzūltū́éʼ kū́hdigé dzídze dzenūbēī dege dzedesʼāts.
Simpson Creek-up there-berries-we will pick-for-we (2) went.
We went up to Simpson Creek to pick berries.
Dzídze łą̄́ nístlōnī dzenesbéʼ.
Berries-really-lots-we picked.
We picked lots of berries.
Kōla gūdenetlʼī́zī́ kedā dzedétsʼik.
Finally-getting dark-moose-we heard.
Just as it was getting dark we heard a moose.
Tūʼ gāgáh łâgōlī Junior yā́sʼā́n.
Creek-beside-it came out on all fours-Junior-shot it.
Junior shot it when it came down by the creek.
Susan: Kolā nahghąh desesdį̄ dēsdī́l.
Finally-for you plural-I worried-I became.
I was getting worried about you.
Aggie: Kedā tedzenetʼā́zī yéh łą̄́ gūyéh denészet.
Moose-we cut up-with-really-with us-long time.
It took us a long time to cut up the moose.
Truck kéh gūkedzīlā īyéh kǭ́ā łéndzātʼás.
Truck -into-we placed-then-home-we (2) came back.
Then we put it in the truck and came home.
Susan: Netrucké neneston są̂tʼē nessen.
Your truck-broke-must be-I thought.
I thought your truck broke down.
Aggie: Nedū́é, kolā gūyéh gūtīe.
No -finally-with us-all good.
No, everything was good.
Īyéh kōla dzídze nístlōnī dzedetʼīnī kedā kʼī dzedetʼīn.
Then-finally-berries-lots-we have-moose-also-we have.
And now we have lots of berries and a moose.

Q1: Yā seʼū́n-ā?
What did she shoot?
A1: Deyǭchōʼ seʼū́n.
She shot a big bull moose.
Q2: Yē sehtʼe-ā?
What did he cook?
A2: Kedāchą̄géʼ néhtsenī sehtʼeʼ.
He cooked some fat moose ribs.
S1: Kón dáhkānī īyéh gah kón tsʼį̄́ʼ sehtʼeʼ.
He started a fire and roasted a rabbit.
S2: Kedāzís bēs yéh ténetʼā́s.
She cut the moose hide off with a knife.
S3: Tsį̄ł yéh echāgéʼ tédenīhhī́l.
She cut the ribs with an axe.
S4: Ezés kedegoł.
She fleshed the hide (with a flesher).
Q3: Yā nḗhtsets yénéhlīn-ā?
What do you (plural) want to eat?
A3: Kedātsén seganī dzūtsedzī yédzénlīn.
We want to eat some dried moose meat.
A4: Kedātsén seganī yédzénlīn.
We want dried moose meat.
A5: Yā nḗhtsedz-ā nédzū́tsédzī́ sį̄́.
We’ll eat whatever you are eating.
Q4: Dēsgū́h kóntsʼį̄́ʼ tū́de enhtʼḗz-ā?
How do you roast a duck by the fire?
Dēsgū́h tū́de kóntsʼį̄́ʼ dene yehtʼḗz-ā?
How does a person roast a duck by the fire?
A6: Kíhseh tū́de tenchʼīl īyéh metsʼīeʼ kénléh.
First pluck the duck and take out the guts.
Īyéh tenīzī medzādąh tédentʼā́zī īyéh ʼáné dḗnleh.
Then cut along the middle of the breast and fold it out.
Dechen yéh kóntsʼį̄́ʼ nī́nʼā́ʼ.
Put it by the fire on a stick.
Īyéh kón tsʼį̄́ʼ enhtʼḗs.
Then roast it by the fire.
Q5: Dahyigé dene elīn-ā?
Where was he born?
A7: Łegānjōjī kū́hyigé dene elīn.
He was born at Finlayson Lake.
Q6: Dḗhkʼeh ándahtʼáz-ā?
When are you (2) going home?
A8: Kū́dé ándzedātʼás.
We’re going home soon.