Twana language facts for kids

The Twana language, also known as Skokomish, was a language spoken by Native American people. It was used by tribes like the Skokomish. This language belongs to the Salishan family, which includes many Native American languages from the Pacific Northwest.

Some elders from the Skokomish community, like Bruce Subiyay Miller, thought that the Twana language became separate from another language called Lushootseed. This might have happened because of an old tradition. When someone passed away, people would avoid saying their name for about a year. Instead, they would use new words. These new words often became a regular part of the language in that community. This process could have made languages change faster and helped Twana become distinct from Lushootseed.

Sadly, the last person who spoke Twana fluently died in 1980.

The name "Skokomish" comes from the Twana words sqʷuqʷúʔbəš. This means "river people" or "people of the river."

In the Twana language, "Twana Language" was tuwaduqutSid. For example, "English language" was past3dutSid.

Sounds of the Twana Language

Every language has its own unique sounds, and Twana was no different. It had a variety of consonant and vowel sounds that made it special.

Consonant Sounds

Twana had many consonant sounds, some of which are not found in English. These included sounds made with the lips, tongue, and throat. Some sounds were "ejective," meaning they were made with a burst of air from the throat. Others were "glottalized," which means they had a special catch in the throat.

Vowel Sounds

The Twana language also had several vowel sounds. These were similar to the "a," "e," and "o" sounds you might hear in English, but with their own unique Twana pronunciation.

See also

• Lushootseed