Sekani language facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sekani
Tse'khene
Native to	Canada
Region	British Columbia
Ethnicity	1,410 Sekani people (2014, FPCC)
Native speakers	200, 14% of ethnic population  (2016 census)
Language family	Dené–Yeniseian? Na-Dené Athabaskan Northern Athabaskan Sekani
Writing system	Latin script Canadian Aboriginal syllabics
Sekani is classified as Critically Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger
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The Sekani language, also called Tse’khene, is spoken by the Sekani people. They live in north-central British Columbia, Canada. It is part of the Northern Athabaskan language family.

Sounds of Sekani

The Sekani language has many interesting sounds. It has 33 different consonant sounds. Some of these sounds are not found in English. For example, it has "ejective" sounds. These are made by pushing air out quickly from your throat.

Vowel Sounds

Sekani also uses different vowel sounds. These include sounds like i (as in "ski"), u (as in "flute"), and a (as in "father").

Language Tone

Sekani uses two different tones when speaking. These are called low tone and high tone. High tone is used more often. The tone of a word can change its meaning.

Nasal Sounds

Some Sekani vowels can be nasalized. This means air comes out of your nose when you say them. Nasalization also changes the meaning of words.

Sekani Words and Phrases

Here are some words and phrases from the Sekani language. The writing system used here is for the Kwadacha Tsek'ene dialect. In this system, u sounds like the "uh" in "butter." The letters oo sound like the "oo" in "moon."

An apostrophe (') shows a glottal stop. This is a sound like the break in "uh-oh." An ogonek (a small hook) under a vowel means it is nasalized.

• dune man; person
• tlįį dog
• wudzįįh caribou
• yus snow
• chǫ rain
• k’wus cloud
• kwùn fire
• ’įįbèh summer
• too water
• mun lake
• nun land
• tselh axe
• ʼukèʼ foot
• ’àtse my grandfather
• ’àtsǫǫ my grandmother
• lhìghè’ one
• lhèkwudut’e two
• tadut’e three
• dįįdut’e four
• ǫ yes

Months in Sekani

• Tlįį duchę̀’ ’ehdasde January
• Dahyusè’ nùkehde wìlę February
• Nùtsʼiide March
• ʼUtʼǫ̀ʼ kùnuyehde May
• Jìje dinììdulh July
• Yhììh nunutsunde wìlę August
• Yhììh ukudeh’àsde September
• ’Udììtl’ǫh ’uwit’į̀į̀h October
• Yus ’ut’į̀į̀h November
• Khuye ’uwììjàh December

Images for kids

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  This map shows where Sekani is spoken.