Dakelh
Carrier
Na-Dené (Athabaskan, Northern)
Carrier (Dakelh) is a Northern Athabaskan language native to the central interior of British Columbia, Canada, with ~600 mostly elderly speakers across multiple dialect-variant communities. The English name "Carrier" comes from the cultural practice where widows carried the cremated remains of deceased husbands. Ten dialect groups including Stuart Lake, Nazko, and Babine-Witsuwit'en. Tonal language with complex prefix-rich verb morphology typical of Athabaskan. Carrier syllabics (1885 Father Adrien-Gabriel Morice) and modern Latin orthography both used; UBC and the First Nations Education Steering Committee support revitalization.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Carrier
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Na-Dené (Athabaskan, Northern)
| Meaning | Carrier | Chipewyan | Western Apache | Koyukon | Hupa | Navajo | Ancient Egyptian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | too /tu/ | tu /tu/ | tu /tu/ | too /toː/ | taʼna:n /taʔnaːn/ | tó /tʰó/ | 𓈗 /muː/ |
| Fire | kwun /kʷun/ | kón /kón/ | kǫʼ /kṍʔ/ | kkonʼ /kːonʔ/ | xoŋʼ /xoŋʔ/ | kǫʼ /kʰõ̀ʔ/ | 𓏴𓏏𓊮 /sedʒet/ |
| Sun | sa /sa/ | sa /sa/ | shándaʼá /ʃándaːʔá/ | so /so/ | wha /hʷa/ | jóhonaaʼéí /tʃóhònàːʔéí/ | 𓇳 /raː/ |
| Moon | ʼulhdzis oozaʼ /ʔuɬdzis oːzaʔ/ | hadelyi /haðeli/ | tłʼéʼgonaʼáí /tɬʼéʔɡonaʔáí/ | dołtʼolee /doɬtʼoliː/ | hwa-ʼaŋʼ /hwaʔɑŋʔ/ | tłʼéhonaaʼéí /tɬʼéhònɑ̀ːʔéí/ | 𓇹 /iaːh/ |
| Star | sum /sum/ | thën /θən/ | sǫʼs /sṍʔs/ | tłoonʼ /tɬoːnʔ/ | tsingʼ /tsiŋʔ/ | sǫʼ /sõ̀ʔ/ | 𓋴𓃀𓄿𓇼 /seba/ |
| Night | ʼulhdzis /ʔuɬdzis/ | xeł /xeɬ/ | tłʼéʼ /tɬʼéʔ/ | łida /ɬida/ | xiłeʼ /xiɬeʔ/ | tłʼééʼ /tɬʼéːʔ/ | 𓎼𓂋𓎛𓇰 /ɡereh/ |
| Rain | chan /tʃan/ | chą /tʃã/ | — | konh /konh/ | — | níłtsą́ /níɬtsã́/ | 𓎛𓅱𓏏𓇲 /huːt/ |
| Snow | yus̲ /jus/ | yath /jaθ/ | zas /zas/ | tseetl /tsʰiːtɬʰ/ | nundil /nʊndɪl/ | yas /jɑ̀s/ | 𓐠𓏤𓂋𓏤𓈎𓅱𓇲𓏥 /sarakuː/ |
| Wind | nilhtsi /niɬtsi/ | nįtsʼi /nĩtsʼi/ | níłchʼi /níɬtʃʼi/ | — | — | níyol /níjol/ | 𓍿𓄿𓅱 /tʃauː/ |
| Earth | yun /jun/ | ní /ní/ | niʼ /niʔ/ | ninʼ /nɪnʔ/ | ninʼ /nɪnʔ/ | łeezh /ɬeːʒ/ | 𓇾 /ta/ |
| Stone | t̲s̲e /tse/ | tthe /tθe/ | tsé /tsʰé/ | laʼona /laʔona/ | — | tsé /tsʰé/ | 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊌 /iner/ |
| Mountain | d̲z̲ulh /dzuɬ/ | ttheshéth /tθeʃéθ/ | dził /tsiɬ/ | — | — | dził /tsìɬ/ | 𓈋 /dʒuː/ |
| Sea | yatoo /jatoː/ | tucho /tutʃo/ | túnteel /túnteːl/ | — | — | tónteel /tʰóntʰèːl/ | 𓇋𓇋𓅖𓈗𓈘𓈇 /iːm/ |
| Mother | oo /oː/ | ená /ená/ | shimá /ʃimá/ | eenaa /iːnaː/ | -anʼ /-anʔ/ | shimá /ʃimá/ | 𓅐𓏏𓁐 /muːt/ |
| Father | abe /abe/ | etá /etá/ | shitaa /ʃitaː/ | eetaa /iːtaː/ | -taʼ /-taʔ/ | shizhéʼé /ʃiʒéʔé/ | 𓇋𓏏 /it/ |
| Daughter | oot̲s̲eʼ /oːtseʔ/ | — | shitsiʼ /ʃitsiʔ/ | — | -tse:ʼ /-tseːʔ/ | shichʼéʼé /ʃitʃʼéʔé/ | 𓅭𓏏 /zat/ |
| I | si /si/ | si /si/ | shíí /ʃíː/ | see /siː/ | whe /hʷe/ | shí /ʃí/ | 𓇋𓏌𓎡 /inek/ |
| You | nen /nen/ | nen /nɛn/ | ni /ní/ | nee /niː/ | niŋ /nɪŋ/ | ni /ni/ | 𓈖𓏏𓎡 /netek/ |
| We | neni /neni/ | nuhni /nuhni/ | nohwí /nohwí/ | — /—/ | nehe /nehe/ | nihí /nihí/ | 𓇋𓈖𓈖 /inen/ |
| Name | uzi /uzi/ | bįzį́ /bĩzĩ́/ | -zhiʼ /ʒìʔ/ | oos /oːs/ | -ooziʼ /oːzɪʔ/ | ázhiʼ /ʔáʒìʔ/ | 𓂋𓈖 /ren/ |
| Person | dune /dune/ | dëne /denɛ/ | nnee /nːeː/ | dinaa /dinaː/ | kʼiwinyaʼa:n /kʲʼiwinjaʔaːn/ | diné /tìné/ | 𓂋𓍿𓀀 /remetʃ/ |
| Head | ut̲s̲i /utsi/ | dënetthí /denetθí/ | bitsitsʼin /bitsitsʼin/ | -tłeeʼ /tɬiːʔ/ | — | atsiitsʼiin /atsiːtsʼiːn/ | 𓁶𓏤 /tep/ |
| Eye | oona /oːna/ | índa /índa/ | bidáá /bidáː/ | -noghaʼ /noɣaʔ/ | -na:ʼ /-nɑːʔ/ | anááʼ /ʔanáːʔ/ | 𓁹 /iret/ |
| Ear | ʼudzo /ʔudzo/ | dënedzaghé /denedzaʁé/ | shijaaʼ /ʃidʒaːʔ/ | — | -chiwʼ /-tʃiwʔ/ | jaaʼ /tʃaːʔ/ | 𓄟𓋴𓇥𓂋𓄔 /mesedʒer/ |
| Nose | ʼunintsis /ʔunintsis/ | dënetsį /denetsĩ/ | bichį́h /bitʃĩ́h/ | — | — | áchįįh /átʃĩːh/ | 𓂉𓏤 /fenedʒ/ |
| Mouth | ʼuẕe /ʔuze/ | dënedhá /deneðá/ | bizéʼ /bizéʔ/ | — | -daʼ /-daʔ/ | azééʼ /àzéːʔ/ | 𓂋 /ra/ |
| Tooth | ughu /uɣu/ | ghu /xu/ | ghoʼ /ɣoʔ/ | aghoʼ /axoʔ/ | woʼ /woʔ/ | awooʼ /awoːʔ/ | 𓇋𓃀𓎛𓄑 /ibeh/ |
| Tongue | ecula /etsula/ | ethu /eðu/ | atsooʼ /ʔatsoːʔ/ | łolaʼ /ɬolaʔ/ | sastan /sastan/ | atsooʼ /atsoːʔ/ | 𓄓 /nes/ |
| Hand | la /la/ | ela /ela/ | bigan /biɡan/ | -loʼ /loʔ/ | -laʼ /-laʔ/ | álaʼ /ʔálaʔ/ | 𓂧𓂋𓏏 /dʒeret/ |
| Foot | ʼuke /ʔuke/ | eke /eke/ | shikee /ʃikeː/ | -kkaaʼ /kːaːʔ/ | -xeʼ /-xeʔ/ | akeeʼ /ʔàkʰèːʔ/ | 𓂋𓂧𓂾 /red/ |
| Heart | ʼunjid /ʔundʒid/ | eθey /eθej/ | bijíí /bidʒíː/ | -dzaayaʼ /tsæːjəʔ/ | -piŋ /-piŋ/ | ajéí /ʔɑ̀tʃéí/ | 𓇋𓃀 /ib/ |
| Bone | ootsʼun /oːtsʼun/ | thʼen /θʼen/ | tsʼin /tsʼin/ | tlʼin /tɬʼin/ | -tsʼinʼ /-tsʼinʔ/ | tsʼin /tsʼin/ | 𓈎𓋴𓌟 /kes/ |
| Blood | delel /delel/ | del /dɛl/ | dił /tiɬ/ | lakona /lakona/ | tse:lin /tseːlin/ | dił /tìɬ/ | 𓊃𓈖𓆑𓂐 /zenef/ |
| Poop | tsan /tsan/ | tsą́ /tsã́/ | bichan /bitʃʰan/ | — | chwungʼ /tʃʷuŋʔ/ | chąąʼ /tʃãːʔ/ | 𓎛𓋴𓄽 /hes/ |
| Love | sjut /sdʒut/ | hı́la /hila/ | ayóigóʼíí /ʔajóiɣóʔíː/ | kʼoonejee /kʼooneʒeː/ | na-wh-ʼishtʼeʼn /nɑwʔɪʃtʼɛʔn/ | ayóóʼánóshní /ɑjóːʔɑ́nóʃníː/ | 𓅓𓂋 /meri/ |
| Tree | dechen /detʃen/ | dechen /detʃen/ | tsin /tsin/ | kʼeyh /kʼejh/ | kin /kɪn/ | tsin /tsin/ | 𓈖𓉔𓏏𓆭 /nehet/ |
| Dog | lhi /ɬi/ | łı́ /ɬi/ | góshé /ɡóʃé/ | łeek /ɬeːk/ | łingʼ /ɬiŋʔ/ | łééchąąʼí /ɬéːtʃãːʔí/ | 𓃛𓅱𓃛𓅱𓃡 /iuːiuː/ |
| Cat | gus /ɡus/ | mįnus /mĩnus/ | gídí /ɡídí/ | dotonh /dotonh/ | — /—/ | mósí /mósí/ | 𓏇𓇋𓅱𓃠 /miuː/ |
| Fish | lho /ɬo/ | łue /ɬue/ | łóg /ɬóɡ/ | tookkʼa /toːkʼa/ | ło:qʼ /ɬoːqʼ/ | łóóʼ /ɬóːʔ/ | 𓂋𓅓 /rem/ |
| Bird | dutʼai /dutʼai/ | įyese /ĩjese/ | dlǫ́ʼ /dlṍʔ/ | — | — | tsídii /tsʰítìː/ | 𓄿𓊪𓂧𓅬 /aped/ |
| Butterfly | tsanghoolhtʼah /tsanɣoːɬtʼah/ | yágoli /jáɡoli/ | doolé /doːlé/ | — | — | kʼaalógii /kʼɑ̀ːlókìː/ | — |
| Egg | ʼughez /ʔuɣez/ | eghézé /eʁézé/ | iyęęzh /ijẽːʒ/ | — | — | ayęęzhii /ajẽːʒiː/ | 𓋴𓅱𓎛𓏏𓆇 /suːhet/ |
| Bear | sus /sus/ | sas /sas/ | shash /ʃaʃ/ | sis /sis/ | sa:tsʼ /saːtsʼ/ | shash /ʃaʃ/ | — |
| Horse | yeztli /jeztli/ | łįchok /ɬĩtʃok/ | łį́į́ʼ /ɬĩːʔ/ | — | łingʼ /ɬiŋʔ/ | łį́į́ʼ /ɬĩ́ːʔ/ | 𓋴𓋴𓅓𓏏𓃗 /sesemet/ |
| House | yoh /joh/ | kǫ́é /kɔ̃́é/ | kįh /kĩh/ | yah /jah/ | xontah /xontɑh/ | hooghan /hoːɣɑn/ | 𓉐 /per/ |
| Milk | lilet /lilet/ | ejeretthʼúe /edʒeretθʼúe/ | ibeʼ /ibeʔ/ | tlʼooʼ /tɬʼoːʔ/ | — | abeʼ /àpèʔ/ | 𓇋𓂋𓍿𓏏𓏈 /irtʃet/ |
| Honey | tsʼihnatlʼuz /tsʼihnatɬʼuz/ | tłʼıstthó nı /tɬʼistθó ni/ | gosnih /ɡosnih/ | — | — | tsísʼná bitłʼizh /tsʰísʔnɑ́ pìtɬʼìʒ/ | 𓆤𓏏 /bit/ |
| Salt | lisel /lisel/ | dedhai /deðai/ | ishįįh /ʔiʃĩːh/ | sol /sol/ | łehqʼonchʼ /ɬehqʼontʃʼ/ | áshįįh /ʔáʃĩːh/ | 𓎛𓌳𓄿𓏏𓍖𓈒𓏥 /hemat/ |
| Wine | tsʼekoo tooʼ /tsʼekoː toːʔ/ | — | — | — | — | wáán /wɑ́ːn/ | 𓇋𓂋𓊪𓏊 /irep/ |
| Iron | lhuztih /ɬuztih/ | — | bésh /béʃ/ | — | — | béésh /péːʃ/ | 𓃀𓇋𓄿𓈖𓊪𓏏𓇯 /bia en pet/ |
| Wheel | nunúlgaih-i /nunulɡaihi/ | dechën bąth /detʃen bãθ/ | — | — | — | bąąs /pãːs/ | — |
| Silk | luswe /luswe/ | lasué /lasué/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Book | ʼudustlʼus /ʔudustɬʼus/ | ɂerehtłʼís /ʔerehtɬʼís/ | nałtsoos /naɬtsoːs/ | — | — | naaltsoos /nɑːltsoːs/ | 𓏛𓏏𓏤𓍼𓏤 /medʒat/ |
| Eat | ʼoonjuh /ʔoːndʒuh/ | ɂıłtsu /ʔiɬtsu/ | yiyąą /jijãː/ | kʼahonh /kʼahonh/ | na-ya:n /nɑjɑːn/ | yishą́ /jiʃã́/ | 𓃹𓈖𓅓𓀁 /wenem/ |
| Drink | dunjuh /dundʒuh/ | ɂıdla /ʔidla/ | yidlą /jidlã́ʔ/ | kʼisinoonh /kʼisinoːnh/ | na-ʼa:n /nɑʔɑːn/ | yishdlą́ /jiʃtɬã́/ | 𓊃𓅨𓂋𓀁 /zuːr/ |
| Sleep | nanisti /nanisti/ | thetį /θetĩ/ | iłhosh /iɬhoʃ/ | — | — | ałhosh /aɬhoʃ/ | 𓋴𓇥𓂋 /sedʒer/ |
| One | ʼulhah /ʔuɬah/ | įłaghe /ĩɬaɣe/ | dáłaʼá /dáɬaʔá/ | kʼeetakkʼee /kʼiːtakʼiː/ | łaʼ /ɬaʔ/ | tʼááłáʼí /tʼɑ́ːɬɑ́ʔí/ | 𓏤 /waː/ |
| Two | nanki /nanki/ | nake /nake/ | naki /naki/ | niteekkʼee /nitiːkʼiː/ | nahx /naːx/ | naaki /nɑːki/ | 𓌢𓏌𓏤𓏤 /senuːi/ |
| Three | ta /ta/ | tághe /táʁe/ | táági /táːɡi/ | tokkʼee /tokʼiː/ | ta:qʼ /taːqʼ/ | tááʼ /tʰáːʔ/ | 𓏼 /xemetuː/ |
| Four | dunghi /dunɣi/ | dı̨ghı̨ /dĩʁĩ/ | dįįʼ /dĩːʔ/ | — | dinkʼ /dinkʼ/ | dį́įʼ /tĩ́ːʔ/ | 𓏽 /ifeduː/ |
| Five | kwulaiʼ /kʷulaiʔ/ | sųlághe /sṹlaʁe/ | ashdlaʼ /aʃtɬaʔ/ | — | chwolaʼ /tʃʷolaʔ/ | ashdlaʼ /aʃtɬaʔ/ | 𓏾 /diuː/ |
| Hundred | whunizyat whunizyai /xʷunizjat xʷunizjai/ | łónona /ɬónona/ | gonenadín /ɡonenadín/ | — | łaʼ-dikin /ɬaʔdikʲin/ | neeznádiin /neːznáːtiːn/ | 𓍢 /ʃet/ |
| Hello | ʼahdoozaee /ʔahdoːzaː/ | edlanetʼè /eðlanetʼe/ | dagotʼee /daɡotʼeː/ | — /—/ | tsʼehdiyaʼ /tsʼɛhdɪjaʔ/ | yáʼátʼééh /jɑ́ʔɑ́tʼéːh/ | 𓇋𓐩𓆓𓏛𓁷𓏤 /inedʒ her/ |
| Thank you | snachailya /snatʃailja/ | mąsi chok /mãsi tʃok/ | ahíyiʼé /ʔahíjiʔé/ | baaseeʼ /baːseːʔ/ | na:nehs-ʼe:n /nɑːnɛhsʔɛːn/ | ahéheeʼ /ʔɑ̀héhèːʔ/ | 𓇼𓊹𓈖 /duːa netʃer en/ |
| Good | nezuʼ /nezuʔ/ | nezų /nezũ/ | nzhǫǫ /nʒõː/ | nizoonh /nizoːnh/ | niwhoŋ /nɪwhoŋ/ | yáʼátʼééh /jɑ́ʔɑ́tʼéːh/ | 𓄤 /nefer/ |
| New | ʼandidi /ʔandidi/ | degóth /deɡóθ/ | áníidé /áníːdé/ | — | — | ániid /ániːt/ | 𓌳𓄿𓅱𓏛 /mauːi/ |
| Red | delqʼun /delqʼun/ | delkʼoz /delkʼoz/ | łichíí /ɬitʃʰíː/ | nełtseeyh /neɬtseːjh/ | łitsʼ /ɬitsʼ/ | łichííʼ /ɬitʃʰíːʔ/ | 𓂧𓈙𓂋𓅟 /deʃer/ |
| White | ʼulhyul /ʔuɬjul/ | delgai /delɡai/ | łigai /ɬiɡai/ | — | łiqay /ɬɪqɑj/ | łigai /ɬìkɑ̀ì/ | 𓌉 /hedʒ/ |
| Black | dulhgus /duɬɡus/ | delzen /delzen/ | diłhił /diɬhiɬ/ | — | — | łizhin /ɬìʒìn/ | 𓆎𓅓 /kem/ |
| Green | dultlʼuz /dutɬʼuz/ | — | dotłʼizh /dotɬʼiʒ/ | — | łitsow /ɬitsow/ | dootłʼizh /tòːtɬʼìʒ/ | 𓇅 /wadʒ/ |
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