Nuxalk
Salishan
Nuxalk (also Bella Coola) is the sole surviving Salishan language of the central British Columbia coast, spoken by the Nuxalkmc of the Bella Coola valley. It is critically endangered with roughly 17 fluent first-language speakers; the Nuxalk Nation, Acwsalcta School, and FirstVoices archive sustain an active revitalization program. Nuxalk is famous in phonological typology for tolerating ENTIRE WORDS without phonemic vowels — the canonical example xłp̓x̣ʷłtłpłłskʷc̓ "then he had had in his possession a bunchberry plant" contains no vowels; obstruents (fricatives, stops) themselves serve as syllabic nuclei. Bruce Bagemihl's 1991 Linguistic Inquiry paper "Syllable structure in Bella Coola" used Nuxalk as a key test case for theories of the sonority hierarchy, arguing that any segment can in principle be a syllable peak.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Nuxalk
Sources
- Nater, H.F. (1984) The Bella Coola Language (Canadian Museum of Civilization, Mercury Series 92)
- Bagemihl, Bruce (1991) "Syllable structure in Bella Coola" Linguistic Inquiry 22:589-646
- FirstVoices Nuxalk archive
- Glottolog: Bella Coola
- Ethnologue: blc
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Salishan
| Meaning | Nuxalk | Wichita | Squamish | Lardil | Ubykh | Proto-Mayan | Dyirbal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | qla /qla/ | kicʔa /kitsʔa/ | stáḵw /staqʷ/ | nguka /ŋuka/ | bzə /bzə/ | *haʔ /haʔ/ | bana /ˈbana/ |
| Fire | niiχʷ /niːχʷ/ | heːcʔa /heːtsʔa/ | sḵwiḵw /sqʷiqʷ/ | nyuda /ɲuda/ | mzʼə /mzʼə/ | *qʼaaqʼ /qʼaaqʼ/ | buni /ˈbuni/ |
| Sun | snχ /snχ/ | saːkhirʔa /saːkʰiɾʔa/ | snéḵwem /sneqʷəm/ | warrka /waɾka/ | dəɣʷa /dəɣʷa/ | *qʼiinh /qʼiinh/ | garri /ˈɡari/ |
| Moon | ƛ̓ukʼ /tɬʼukʼ/ | waːh /waːh/ | lh7álha /ɬʔaɬa/ | kirdikir /kiɖikir/ | mazə /mazə/ | *uːh /uːh/ | gagara /ɡaˈɡara/ |
| Star | mixmikʼł /mixmikʼɬ/ | hiːkwirikʔa /hiːkʷiɾikʔa/ | kwekwtsi7 /kʷəkʷtsiʔ/ | kuwa thungal /kuwa θuŋal/ | tʃʷʼakʲ /tʃʷʼakʲʼ/ | *eʼq /eʼq/ | gijiny /ɡiɟiɲ/ |
| Night | ʔnƛ̓ /ʔntɬʼ/ | ckhaːrʔa /tskʰaːɾʔa/ | nat /nat/ | nata /nata/ | śwa /ɕʷa/ | *aqʼabʼ /aqʼaɓ/ | jagun /ɟaɡun/ |
| Rain | sʔałwlał /sʔaɬwlaɬ/ | — | — | — | — | *nhabʼ /ŋaɓ/ | gambal /ˈɡambal/ |
| Snow | pqʼʷ /pqʷʼ/ | hiraːʔa /hiɾaːʔa/ | máḵa7 /maqaʔ/ | — | źʷadzə /ʑʷadzə/ | — | — |
| Earth | kułulmx /kuɬulmx/ | — | temíxw /təmixʷ/ | — | tɕʰʷaʁˤʷə /tɕʰʷaʁˤʷə/ | *chʼohchʼ /tʃʼohtʃʼ/ | jaju /ˈɟaɟu/ |
| Stone | tʼχt /tʼχt/ | — | smant /smant/ | — | laqa /laqa/ | *ʔaʔbʼaj /ʔaʔbʼaj/ | diban /ɟiban/ |
| Mountain | smt /smt/ | — | smánit /smanit/ | — | — | *witz /wits/ | gambil /ˈɡambil/ |
| Sea | sulut /sulut/ | — | — | — | ʃʷa /ʃʷa/ | — | — |
| Mother | stan /stan/ | eciyeːh /etsijeːh/ | chésha7 /tʃeʃaʔ/ | ngama /ŋama/ | nan /nan/ | *naʔ /naʔ/ | yabu /ˈjabu/ |
| Father | man /man/ | taːtah /taːtah/ | smas /smas/ | kantha /kan̪t̪a/ | tʷə /tʷə/ | *taat /taat/ | nguma /ˈŋuma/ |
| I | ʔnc /ʔnts/ | nacʔih /natsʔih/ | en /ʔən/ | ngada /ŋada/ | sʁʷa /sʁʷa/ | *in /in/ | ngaja /ŋaɟa/ |
| You | ʔinu /ʔinu/ | nasʔih /nasʔih/ | chexw /tʃəxʷ/ | nyingki /ɲiŋki/ | wʁʷa /wʁʷa/ | *ʔat /ʔat/ | nginda /ŋinda/ |
| We | łmił /ɬmiɬ/ | — /—/ | numalh /numaɬ/ | ngakuli / nyali /ŋakuli / ɲali/ | ʃʁʷała /ʃʁʷaɬa/ | — /—/ | ngana /ŋana/ |
| Name | skʷacta /skʷatsta/ | hissaːrʔa /hissaːɾʔa/ | sna /sna/ | nyunda /ɲunda/ | pʼtsʼa /pʼtsʼa/ | *bʼih /bʼih/ | yidyi /jiɟi/ |
| Person | ƛ̓msta /tɬʼmsta/ | ihaas /ihaas/ | stélmexw /stelməxʷ/ | — | — | *winaq /winaq/ | — |
| Head | tʼnχʷ /tʼnχʷ/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Eye | qluqʼs /qluqʼs/ | kirikʔa /kiɾikʔa/ | ḵlum̓ /qlumʔ/ | kuwa /kuwa/ | bla /bla/ | *Haty /hatʲ/ | gayga /ˈɡajɡa/ |
| Ear | tanksta /tanksta/ | — | — | — | laqʼʷəma /laqʼʷəma/ | *xikin /ʃikin/ | manga /ˈmaŋa/ |
| Nose | maaχsa /maːχsa/ | — | — | — | fatɕʼa /fatɕʼa/ | *nhiiʔ /ŋiːʔ/ | guwu /ˈɡuwu/ |
| Mouth | cucn /tsutsn/ | — | — | — | tʃʼa /tʃʼa/ | *tyiiʔ /tʲiːʔ/ | — |
| Tooth | ʔica /ʔitsa/ | aːkʔa /aːkʔa/ | yenis /jənis/ | kadma leman /kadma leman/ | cakʼə /tsakʼʲə/ | *ʔeeh /ʔeːh/ | dirra /dira/ |
| Tongue | tica /titsa/ | hacʼa /hatsʔa/ | alhthal /aɬθaɬ/ | jalda leman /dʒalda leman/ | bza /bʒa/ | *aaqʼ /aːqʼ/ | jalnggulay /ɟalŋɡulaj/ |
| Hand | suxa /suxa/ | iskʔa /iskʔa/ | chálash /tʃalaʃ/ | marlda /maɭda/ | ɂa /ʔa/ | *qʼabʼ /qʼabʼ/ | mala /ˈmala/ |
| Foot | ʼixa /ʔixa/ | asʔa /asʔa/ | — | jaa /dʒaː/ | ła:pʼa /ɬaːpʼa/ | *ʔooq /ʔoːq/ | jina /ˈɟina/ |
| Heart | skcułk /sktsuɬk/ | sikicʔa /sikitsʔa/ | stúlich /stulitʃ/ | bulja /buldʒa/ | gʷə /ɡʷə/ | — /—/ | rulgu /ˈɻulɡu/ |
| Bone | cap /tsap/ | kiːsʔa /kiːsʔa/ | shaw7 /ʃawʔ/ | kadma /kadma/ | pqë /pqə/ | *bʼaaq /ɓaːq/ | wurmbur /ˈwurmbur/ |
| Blood | six /six/ | waːckicʔa /waːtskitsʔa/ | sthathin /sθaθin/ | kanda /kanda/ | ła /ɬa/ | *kikʼ /kikʼ/ | waguli /waɡuli/ |
| Love | — /—/ | — /—/ | néxwsa /nexʷsa/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Tree | stn /stn/ | tiyaːhkw /tijaːhkʷ/ | stsékʼas /stsekʼas/ | thungal /θuŋal/ | ɣʷənə /ɣʷənə/ | *teʔ /teʔ/ | yugu /ˈjuɡu/ |
| Dog | wacʼ /watsʼ/ | kiciyeːh /kitsijeːh/ | sḵwemáy̓ /sqʷəmajʔ/ | ngawa /ŋawa/ | la /la/ | *tzʼiʔ /tzʼiʔ/ | guda /ˈɡuda/ |
| Cat | — /—/ | — /—/ | pus /pus/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Fish | smłk /smɬk/ | kaːcʔa /kaːtsʔa/ | stsʼúḵwi7 /stsʼuqʷiʔ/ | yaka /jaka/ | psa /psa/ | *kar /kar/ | jabu /ˈɟabu/ |
| Bird | ciccipii /tsitstsipiː/ | ichir /itsʰiɾ/ | — | — | ʁʷəndʷə /ʁʷəndʷə/ | *tzʼikin /tzʼikin/ | dundu /ˈdundu/ |
| Butterfly | mamayu /mamaju/ | — | — | — | χapʼraːɕʷa /χapʼraːɕʷa/ | *pehpen /pehpen/ | — |
| Egg | qpʼa /qpʼa/ | nikwiːkʔa /nikʷiːkʔa/ | — | — | — | — | bambu /bambu/ |
| Bear | ƛ̓a /tɬʼa/ | — | míx̱alh /miχaɬ/ | — | məšwa /məʃʷa/ | — | — |
| Horse | ałχapaliikʷ /aɬχapaliːkʷ/ | — | — | — | čʰʲə /tʃʰʲə/ | — | — |
| House | suł /suɬ/ | akhaːrʔa /akʰaːɾʔa/ | lámʼ /lamʔ/ | ngambirr /ŋambir/ | tʷəna /tʷəna/ | *nah /nah/ | mija /ˈmiɟa/ |
| Salt | stʼs /stʼs/ | — | tlʼálhem /tɬʼaɬəm/ | — | ǯʲə /dʒʲə/ | *ʔaʔtzʼaam /ʔaʔtsʼaːm/ | — |
| Iron | — /—/ | — | — | — | wəcʼwa /wətsʼʷa/ | — | — |
| Book | ałqʷuł /aɬqʷuɬ/ | — | — | — | ʃʷəqʼa /ʃʷəqʼa/ | — | — |
| Eat | ʔałps /ʔaɬps/ | kaʔac /kaʔats/ | i7iyím /iʔijim/ | jitha /dʒiθa/ | f /f/ | *waʔ /waʔ/ | janggay /ˈɟaŋɡaj/ |
| Drink | qaaχla /qaːχla/ | kikʔa /kikʔa/ | qʼemél7chen /qʼemʔeɬtʃen/ | kurdama /kuɖama/ | dzʷa /dzʷa/ | *ʔukʼ /ʔukʼ/ | gunyjal /ˈɡuɲɟal/ |
| Sleep | cituma /tsituma/ | — | — | — | tɕʰʷa /tɕʰʷa/ | *war /war/ | bungil /ˈbuŋil/ |
| One | maw /maw/ | chiʔass /tsʰiʔass/ | nchʼa7 /ntʃʼaʔ/ | warnge /waɾŋe/ | za /za/ | *jun /jun/ | yunggul /ˈjuŋɡul/ |
| Two | łnuus /ɬnuːs/ | wic /wits/ | án7us /ˈʔanʔus/ | kiyarrng /kijaɾŋ/ | tqʷʼa /tqʷʼa/ | *kaʼ /kaʼ/ | bulay /ˈbulaj/ |
| Three | ʔasmuus /ʔasmuːs/ | taw /taw/ | chánat /tʃanat/ | mungkalan /muŋkalan/ | śa /ɕa/ | *ʼoxibʼ /ʔoʃiɓ/ | garbu /ɡaɻbu/ |
| Four | muus /muːs/ | taːkwic /taːkʷits/ | x̱a7útsen /χaʔutsən/ | — | pʼɬʼə /pʼɬʼə/ | *kaŋibʼ /kaŋiɓ/ | — |
| Five | cʼixʷ /tsʼixʷ/ | — | tsíyichis /tsijitʃis/ | — | šxə /ʃχə/ | *hoʔ /hoʔ/ | — |
| Hundred | — /—/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Hello | — /—/ | — /—/ | chen kwenmántumi /tʃen kʷenmantumi/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Thank you | — /—/ | — /—/ | huy chexw a /huj tʃexʷ a/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Good | ya /ja/ | acs /atss/ | éy /ej/ | kuba /kuba/ | ʈʂʼa /ʈʂʼa/ | *utz /utz/ | jigil /ˈɟiɡil/ |
| New | ciχ /tsiχ/ | — | — | — | — | *ʔa(a)kʼ /ʔakʼ/ | gunyu /ˈɡuɲu/ |
| Red | mukʷ /mukʷ/ | kwhaːc /kʷʰaːts/ | kʷəlqʷ /kʷəlqʷ/ | kandukan /kandukan/ | pɬaʒʲa /pɬaʒʲa/ | *kaq /kaq/ | gunggu /ɡuŋɡu/ |
| White | cʼχʷ /tsʼχʷ/ | — | pʼeḵʼ /pʼəqʼ/ | — | — | *saq /saq/ | — |
| Black | skʼx /skʼx/ | — | ḵʼex̱ ḵʼíx̱ /qʼəχ qʼiχ/ | — | dʒa /dʒa/ | *ʔejqʼ /ʔejqʼ/ | — |
| Green | qʷli /qʷli/ | — | tlʼestlʼís /tɬʼəstɬʼis/ | — | ʁˤaqʼa /ʁˤaqʼa/ | *raʔx /raʔʃ/ | — |
| Blue | qʷit /qʷit/ | — | skwáyel /skʷajəl/ | — | ʁˤaqʼa /ʁˤaqʼa/ | — | — |
| Tea | tii /tiː/ | — | ti7 /tiʔ/ | — | — | — | — |
| Coffee | kupi /kupi/ | — | kapí /kapi/ | — | kʼahwa /kʼahwa/ | — | — |
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