Tsetsaut language facts for kids

The Tsetsaut language was a language spoken by the Tsetsaut people. It is now an extinct language, meaning no one speaks it anymore. The Tsetsaut people lived in parts of Southeast Alaska and northwestern British Columbia, Canada.

We know very little about the Tsetsaut language. Most of what we know comes from a researcher named Franz Boas. In 1894, he wrote down some words and phrases from two Tsetsaut people. These two people were living with the Nisga'a people at the time. The Tsetsaut language was a unique part of the larger Athabaskan language family.

It is not exactly clear when the Tsetsaut language disappeared completely. However, we know that at least one person was still speaking it in 1927. The Nisga'a people called the Tsetsaut people "Jits'aawit."

What Does Tsetsaut Mean?

The Tsetsaut people called their own language and themselves Wetaŀ. This was their original name.

The name Tsetsaut was given to them by other groups, like the Gitxsan and Nisga'a people. It means "those of the interior." This name was used for different Athabaskan-speaking groups who lived inland. It included the Tsetsaut, but also some Tahltan and Sekani people.

Tsetsaut Words

Here are some words from the Tsetsaut language that were recorded:

• ɬoʔ fish
• xɔ grizzly bear
• xadzinε male deer
• qax rabbit
• goʔ snake
• ts’alε frog
• ts’esdja mosquito
• tsrāmaʔ wasp
• at’ɔ nest
• εkyagɔ ankle
• aɬʼɔqʼ liver
• dlε dance
• kwuɬʼ dirt
• na mother
• täʼ father
• isča grandchild
• axa hair
• aɬa(ʔ) hand
• txa kick
• mmē lake
• xutsʼedeʼ left

See also

In Spanish: Idioma tsetsaut para niños