Dëne Sųłıné
Chipewyan
Na-Dené
Chipewyan (autonymously Dëne Sųłıné, "people of the willow flats") is a Northern Athabaskan language of the Na-Dene family, spoken by around 12,000 people across northern Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories, northern Alberta, and northern Manitoba in Canada. The Chipewyan are the easternmost of the major Northern Athabaskan peoples, having traditionally inhabited the boreal forest-tundra transition zone of subarctic Canada. Linguistically, Chipewyan is famous for its complex tone system, ejective consonants, and the elaborate verbal morphology characteristic of all Athabaskan languages — a single Chipewyan verb can encode information about subject, object, mode, aspect, voice, classifier, theme, and direction in a single word. The Athabaskan family stretches from Chipewyan in the boreal Canadian Subarctic to Navajo (nv) and the Apachean languages of the US Southwest, suggesting Athabaskan migration from the north to the south of North America during the past 1,000-2,000 years.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Chipewyan
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Na-Dené
| Meaning | Chipewyan | Carrier | Western Apache | Hupa | Koyukon | Navajo | Aja |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | tu /tu/ | too /tu/ | tu /tu/ | taʼna:n /taʔnaːn/ | too /toː/ | tó /tʰó/ | esi /esi/ |
| Fire | kón /kón/ | kwun /kʷun/ | kǫʼ /kṍʔ/ | xoŋʼ /xoŋʔ/ | kkonʼ /kːonʔ/ | kǫʼ /kʰõ̀ʔ/ | ezo /ezo/ |
| Sun | sa /sa/ | sa /sa/ | shándaʼá /ʃándaːʔá/ | wha /hʷa/ | so /so/ | jóhonaaʼéí /tʃóhònàːʔéí/ | ewe /ewe/ |
| Moon | hadelyi /haðeli/ | ʼulhdzis oozaʼ /ʔuɬdzis oːzaʔ/ | tłʼéʼgonaʼáí /tɬʼéʔɡonaʔáí/ | hwa-ʼaŋʼ /hwaʔɑŋʔ/ | dołtʼolee /doɬtʼoliː/ | tłʼéhonaaʼéí /tɬʼéhònɑ̀ːʔéí/ | esun /esun/ |
| Star | thën /θən/ | sum /sum/ | sǫʼs /sṍʔs/ | tsingʼ /tsiŋʔ/ | tłoonʼ /tɬoːnʔ/ | sǫʼ /sõ̀ʔ/ | wlecivi /wletʃivi/ |
| Night | xeł /xeɬ/ | ʼulhdzis /ʔuɬdzis/ | tłʼéʼ /tɬʼéʔ/ | xiłeʼ /xiɬeʔ/ | łida /ɬida/ | tłʼééʼ /tɬʼéːʔ/ | zan /zã/ |
| Rain | chą /tʃã/ | chan /tʃan/ | — | — | konh /konh/ | níłtsą́ /níɬtsã́/ | eshi /eʃi/ |
| Snow | yath /jaθ/ | yus̲ /jus/ | zas /zas/ | nundil /nʊndɪl/ | tseetl /tsʰiːtɬʰ/ | yas /jɑ̀s/ | — |
| Wind | nįtsʼi /nĩtsʼi/ | nilhtsi /niɬtsi/ | níłchʼi /níɬtʃʼi/ | — | — | níyol /níjol/ | jihɔn /dʒihɔ̃/ |
| Earth | ní /ní/ | yun /jun/ | niʼ /niʔ/ | ninʼ /nɪnʔ/ | ninʼ /nɪnʔ/ | łeezh /ɬeːʒ/ | nyigban /ɲiɡbã/ |
| Stone | tthe /tθe/ | t̲s̲e /tse/ | tsé /tsʰé/ | — | laʼona /laʔona/ | tsé /tsʰé/ | kpe /kpe/ |
| Mountain | ttheshéth /tθeʃéθ/ | d̲z̲ulh /dzuɬ/ | dził /tsiɬ/ | — | — | dził /tsìɬ/ | — |
| Sea | tucho /tutʃo/ | yatoo /jatoː/ | túnteel /túnteːl/ | — | — | tónteel /tʰóntʰèːl/ | axu /axu/ |
| Mother | ená /ená/ | oo /oː/ | shimá /ʃimá/ | -anʼ /-anʔ/ | eenaa /iːnaː/ | shimá /ʃimá/ | nɔ /nɔ/ |
| Father | etá /etá/ | abe /abe/ | shitaa /ʃitaː/ | -taʼ /-taʔ/ | eetaa /iːtaː/ | shizhéʼé /ʃiʒéʔé/ | eda /eda/ |
| I | si /si/ | si /si/ | shíí /ʃíː/ | whe /hʷe/ | see /siː/ | shí /ʃí/ | nyɛ /ɲɛ/ |
| You | nen /nɛn/ | nen /nen/ | ni /ní/ | niŋ /nɪŋ/ | nee /niː/ | ni /ni/ | wo /wo/ |
| We | nuhni /nuhni/ | neni /neni/ | nohwí /nohwí/ | nehe /nehe/ | — /—/ | nihí /nihí/ | mí /mí/ |
| Name | bįzį́ /bĩzĩ́/ | uzi /uzi/ | -zhiʼ /ʒìʔ/ | -ooziʼ /oːzɪʔ/ | oos /oːs/ | ázhiʼ /ʔáʒìʔ/ | ŋkɔ /ŋkɔ/ |
| Person | dëne /denɛ/ | dune /dune/ | nnee /nːeː/ | kʼiwinyaʼa:n /kʲʼiwinjaʔaːn/ | dinaa /dinaː/ | diné /tìné/ | amɛ /amɛ/ |
| Head | dënetthí /denetθí/ | ut̲s̲i /utsi/ | bitsitsʼin /bitsitsʼin/ | — | -tłeeʼ /tɬiːʔ/ | atsiitsʼiin /atsiːtsʼiːn/ | ta /ta/ |
| Eye | índa /índa/ | oona /oːna/ | bidáá /bidáː/ | -na:ʼ /-nɑːʔ/ | -noghaʼ /noɣaʔ/ | anááʼ /ʔanáːʔ/ | ŋkuvi /ŋkuvi/ |
| Ear | dënedzaghé /denedzaʁé/ | ʼudzo /ʔudzo/ | shijaaʼ /ʃidʒaːʔ/ | -chiwʼ /-tʃiwʔ/ | — | jaaʼ /tʃaːʔ/ | eto /eto/ |
| Nose | dënetsį /denetsĩ/ | ʼunintsis /ʔunintsis/ | bichį́h /bitʃĩ́h/ | — | — | áchįįh /átʃĩːh/ | — |
| Mouth | dënedhá /deneðá/ | ʼuẕe /ʔuze/ | bizéʼ /bizéʔ/ | -daʼ /-daʔ/ | — | azééʼ /àzéːʔ/ | enu /enu/ |
| Tooth | ghu /xu/ | ughu /uɣu/ | ghoʼ /ɣoʔ/ | woʼ /woʔ/ | aghoʼ /axoʔ/ | awooʼ /awoːʔ/ | aɖu /aɖu/ |
| Tongue | ethu /eðu/ | ecula /etsula/ | atsooʼ /ʔatsoːʔ/ | sastan /sastan/ | łolaʼ /ɬolaʔ/ | atsooʼ /atsoːʔ/ | aɖe /aɖe/ |
| Hand | ela /ela/ | la /la/ | bigan /biɡan/ | -laʼ /-laʔ/ | -loʼ /loʔ/ | álaʼ /ʔálaʔ/ | alɔ /alɔ/ |
| Foot | eke /eke/ | ʼuke /ʔuke/ | shikee /ʃikeː/ | -xeʼ /-xeʔ/ | -kkaaʼ /kːaːʔ/ | akeeʼ /ʔàkʰèːʔ/ | afɔ /afɔ/ |
| Heart | eθey /eθej/ | ʼunjid /ʔundʒid/ | bijíí /bidʒíː/ | -piŋ /-piŋ/ | -dzaayaʼ /tsæːjəʔ/ | ajéí /ʔɑ̀tʃéí/ | eji /edʒi/ |
| Bone | thʼen /θʼen/ | ootsʼun /oːtsʼun/ | tsʼin /tsʼin/ | -tsʼinʼ /-tsʼinʔ/ | tlʼin /tɬʼin/ | tsʼin /tsʼin/ | xu /xu/ |
| Blood | del /dɛl/ | delel /delel/ | dił /tiɬ/ | tse:lin /tseːlin/ | lakona /lakona/ | dił /tìɬ/ | hun /hũ/ |
| Poop | tsą́ /tsã́/ | tsan /tsan/ | bichan /bitʃʰan/ | chwungʼ /tʃʷuŋʔ/ | — | chąąʼ /tʃãːʔ/ | — |
| Love | hı́la /hila/ | sjut /sdʒut/ | ayóigóʼíí /ʔajóiɣóʔíː/ | na-wh-ʼishtʼeʼn /nɑwʔɪʃtʼɛʔn/ | kʼoonejee /kʼooneʒeː/ | ayóóʼánóshní /ɑjóːʔɑ́nóʃníː/ | lɔ̃ /lɔ̃/ |
| Tree | dechen /detʃen/ | dechen /detʃen/ | tsin /tsin/ | kin /kɪn/ | kʼeyh /kʼejh/ | tsin /tsin/ | aci /atʃi/ |
| Dog | łı́ /ɬi/ | lhi /ɬi/ | góshé /ɡóʃé/ | łingʼ /ɬiŋʔ/ | łeek /ɬeːk/ | łééchąąʼí /ɬéːtʃãːʔí/ | avu /avu/ |
| Cat | mįnus /mĩnus/ | gus /ɡus/ | gídí /ɡídí/ | — /—/ | dotonh /dotonh/ | mósí /mósí/ | ami /ami/ |
| Fish | łue /ɬue/ | lho /ɬo/ | łóg /ɬóɡ/ | ło:qʼ /ɬoːqʼ/ | tookkʼa /toːkʼa/ | łóóʼ /ɬóːʔ/ | kpavi /kpavi/ |
| Bird | įyese /ĩjese/ | dutʼai /dutʼai/ | dlǫ́ʼ /dlṍʔ/ | — | — | tsídii /tsʰítìː/ | xevi /xevi/ |
| Butterfly | yágoli /jáɡoli/ | tsanghoolhtʼah /tsanɣoːɬtʼah/ | doolé /doːlé/ | — | — | kʼaalógii /kʼɑ̀ːlókìː/ | — |
| Egg | eghézé /eʁézé/ | ʼughez /ʔuɣez/ | iyęęzh /ijẽːʒ/ | — | — | ayęęzhii /ajẽːʒiː/ | — |
| Bear | sas /sas/ | sus /sus/ | shash /ʃaʃ/ | sa:tsʼ /saːtsʼ/ | sis /sis/ | shash /ʃaʃ/ | — |
| Horse | łįchok /ɬĩtʃok/ | yeztli /jeztli/ | łį́į́ʼ /ɬĩːʔ/ | łingʼ /ɬiŋʔ/ | — | łį́į́ʼ /ɬĩ́ːʔ/ | esɔ /esɔ/ |
| House | kǫ́é /kɔ̃́é/ | yoh /joh/ | kįh /kĩh/ | xontah /xontɑh/ | yah /jah/ | hooghan /hoːɣɑn/ | avia /avia/ |
| Milk | ejeretthʼúe /edʒeretθʼúe/ | lilet /lilet/ | ibeʼ /ibeʔ/ | — | tlʼooʼ /tɬʼoːʔ/ | abeʼ /àpèʔ/ | anɔshu /anɔʃu/ |
| Honey | tłʼıstthó nı /tɬʼistθó ni/ | tsʼihnatlʼuz /tsʼihnatɬʼuz/ | gosnih /ɡosnih/ | — | — | tsísʼná bitłʼizh /tsʰísʔnɑ́ pìtɬʼìʒ/ | enyishi /eɲiʃi/ |
| Salt | dedhai /deðai/ | lisel /lisel/ | ishįįh /ʔiʃĩːh/ | łehqʼonchʼ /ɬehqʼontʃʼ/ | sol /sol/ | áshįįh /ʔáʃĩːh/ | eje /edʒe/ |
| Rice | tłʼolágaze /tɬʼoláɡaze/ | — | — | — | — | alóós /alóːs/ | mɔlu /mɔlu/ |
| Wheel | dechën bąth /detʃen bãθ/ | nunúlgaih-i /nunulɡaihi/ | — | — | — | bąąs /pãːs/ | — |
| Silk | lasué /lasué/ | luswe /luswe/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Book | ɂerehtłʼís /ʔerehtɬʼís/ | ʼudustlʼus /ʔudustɬʼus/ | nałtsoos /naɬtsoːs/ | — | — | naaltsoos /nɑːltsoːs/ | wema /wema/ |
| Eat | ɂıłtsu /ʔiɬtsu/ | ʼoonjuh /ʔoːndʒuh/ | yiyąą /jijãː/ | na-ya:n /nɑjɑːn/ | kʼahonh /kʼahonh/ | yishą́ /jiʃã́/ | ɖu /ɖu/ |
| Drink | ɂıdla /ʔidla/ | dunjuh /dundʒuh/ | yidlą /jidlã́ʔ/ | na-ʼa:n /nɑʔɑːn/ | kʼisinoonh /kʼisinoːnh/ | yishdlą́ /jiʃtɬã́/ | nu /nu/ |
| Sleep | thetį /θetĩ/ | nanisti /nanisti/ | iłhosh /iɬhoʃ/ | — | — | ałhosh /aɬhoʃ/ | dɔ alɔn /dɔ alɔ̃/ |
| One | įłaghe /ĩɬaɣe/ | ʼulhah /ʔuɬah/ | dáłaʼá /dáɬaʔá/ | łaʼ /ɬaʔ/ | kʼeetakkʼee /kʼiːtakʼiː/ | tʼááłáʼí /tʼɑ́ːɬɑ́ʔí/ | eɖe /eɖe/ |
| Two | nake /nake/ | nanki /nanki/ | naki /naki/ | nahx /naːx/ | niteekkʼee /nitiːkʼiː/ | naaki /nɑːki/ | eve /eve/ |
| Three | tághe /táʁe/ | ta /ta/ | táági /táːɡi/ | ta:qʼ /taːqʼ/ | tokkʼee /tokʼiː/ | tááʼ /tʰáːʔ/ | etɔ̃ /etɔ̃/ |
| Four | dı̨ghı̨ /dĩʁĩ/ | dunghi /dunɣi/ | dįįʼ /dĩːʔ/ | dinkʼ /dinkʼ/ | — | dį́įʼ /tĩ́ːʔ/ | ɛnɛ /ɛnɛ/ |
| Five | sųlághe /sṹlaʁe/ | kwulaiʼ /kʷulaiʔ/ | ashdlaʼ /aʃtɬaʔ/ | chwolaʼ /tʃʷolaʔ/ | — | ashdlaʼ /aʃtɬaʔ/ | atɔ̃ /atɔ̃/ |
| Hundred | łónona /ɬónona/ | whunizyat whunizyai /xʷunizjat xʷunizjai/ | gonenadín /ɡonenadín/ | łaʼ-dikin /ɬaʔdikʲin/ | — | neeznádiin /neːznáːtiːn/ | — |
| Hello | edlanetʼè /eðlanetʼe/ | ʼahdoozaee /ʔahdoːzaː/ | dagotʼee /daɡotʼeː/ | tsʼehdiyaʼ /tsʼɛhdɪjaʔ/ | — /—/ | yáʼátʼééh /jɑ́ʔɑ́tʼéːh/ | nɛnɛ /nɛnɛ/ |
| Thank you | mąsi chok /mãsi tʃok/ | snachailya /snatʃailja/ | ahíyiʼé /ʔahíjiʔé/ | na:nehs-ʼe:n /nɑːnɛhsʔɛːn/ | baaseeʼ /baːseːʔ/ | ahéheeʼ /ʔɑ̀héhèːʔ/ | amɛ akpe /amɛ akpe/ |
| Good | nezų /nezũ/ | nezuʼ /nezuʔ/ | nzhǫǫ /nʒõː/ | niwhoŋ /nɪwhoŋ/ | nizoonh /nizoːnh/ | yáʼátʼééh /jɑ́ʔɑ́tʼéːh/ | nwi /nwi/ |
| New | degóth /deɡóθ/ | ʼandidi /ʔandidi/ | áníidé /áníːdé/ | — | — | ániid /ániːt/ | yoyu /joju/ |
| Red | delkʼoz /delkʼoz/ | delqʼun /delqʼun/ | łichíí /ɬitʃʰíː/ | łitsʼ /ɬitsʼ/ | nełtseeyh /neɬtseːjh/ | łichííʼ /ɬitʃʰíːʔ/ | ejun /edʒũ/ |
| White | delgai /delɡai/ | ʼulhyul /ʔuɬjul/ | łigai /ɬiɡai/ | łiqay /ɬɪqɑj/ | — | łigai /ɬìkɑ̀ì/ | eyi /eji/ |
| Black | delzen /delzen/ | dulhgus /duɬɡus/ | diłhił /diɬhiɬ/ | — | — | łizhin /ɬìʒìn/ | eyu /eju/ |
| Blue | déhtłʼéz /déhtɬʼéz/ | — | dotłʼizh /dotɬʼiʒ/ | — | — | dootłʼizh /tòːtɬʼìʒ/ | — |
| Tea | lidí /lidí/ | — | — | — | — | dééh /téːh/ | ti /ti/ |
| Coffee | líkafí /líkafí/ | — | tudiłhiłi /tutiɬhiɬi/ | — | — | gohwééh /kohʷéːh/ | kafe /kafe/ |
| Sugar | súgah /súɡah/ | — | — | — | — | áshįįh łikan /ʔáʃĩːh ɬikɑn/ | sukle /sukle/ |
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