10.3 Notes on the Text
General note: there are a number of places on the tape where the
speaker hesitates and sometimes corrects herself. One marker of hesitation is
the item
t̕ex̄i, which may even have endings, it seems to be
halfway between something like "uh" and a cover-all word like
"what-you-may-call-it" or the like. The transcription leaves out some of
false starts.
Notes are given by line numbers:
3: The name of the site means literally something like "spring place."
Location is near the present-day mouth of the Kitimat River.
7: Several words in this text use the suffix -ap̓ meaning `each other.' The
analysis of the first work is ʼamak- `reach something first'
-ap̓ -st̕axʷ `seem to be or do ' -en is a short form
of -aʼin.
9: The speaker starts to use the English word time, then starts
over with the X̅. word ḡʷiatlas (also ḡʷiatlelas. The
first two words together mean: `sometimes' (if or when it rains....).
11: gemi is g- -em -i, -em
basically means that what is being referred to has been mentioned before. The
usage here to give the reason or explanation is very common. It corresponds
exactly to the sentence "Why they do that..." in the Q̓ʷemksiwak̕ala text.
15: Here and throughout the speaker uses the "hesitation form"
t̕ex̄a, often with endings as here appropriate to the context, or
anticipating endings on following words.
16: This line is about the bins used for letting the oolichans sit for a week
(
helilas). The general idea is: they are huge (
-gasu emphasized
big size) and they are I don't know exactly how many
batli.
batla means to measure by stretching your arms out wide, often
translated as measuring `fathoms' (six feet).
30: The sequence here seems to be: the boiling is mentioned, and then there is
an elaboration or explanation of how the boiling is done.
31: The first word is built like this:
leqʷ- `fire'
=abud
`underneath'. Recall discussion of effects of suffixes in Lesson 9: =
indicates that the suffix causes voicing of the final consonant of the root.
32: galem- is a connective meaning `as soon as' or `when'. It
works like g- and other connectives, taking regular subject
endings.
37: The verb
sakela takes objects that are marked with
his or
-s (attached to the preceding word).
37: The
t̕ipuyac̓i was a long basket made from cedar bark into which
the oolichans were placed to make the last pressing of oil from them. The
root of this word and
t̕ipud is
t̕ip- meaning tread or
step on something.
42: The suffix -x̄ent(a) is one of a number of suffixes that convey
some general feeling or viewpoint of the speaker: surprise, expectedness,
exasperation or the like.
46:
saksiwa gives the idea that the people came to be aware of
other possibilities and then changed to using "barrels."
54: The word for potatoes is shared by a number of different NW languages. It
is popularly believed to be derived from English "good seed."
65: Analysis: sax̄g- `want' -su `-ed' -asi `by them.'