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Relatives and People

Most Tanacross words referring to kinship relations vary according to whose relative is being referred to. There is no generic word for ‘mother’. Rather, there are distinct form for ‘my mother’, ‘your mother’, ‘his or her mother’, etc. A selection of these forms is given here.

shehłaad'
my relatives

nee'ehłaad'
our relatives

shnąą
my mother

nnąą
your mother

wunąą
his or her mother

shtá'
my father

ntá'
your father

wutá'
his or her father

shnąą iin
my parents

shchox iin
my parents (alternate form)

stsêey
my grandfather

ntsêey
your grandfather

wutsêey
his or her grandfather

stsųų
my grandmother

ntsųų
your grandmother

wutsųų
his or her grandmother

shchaay
my (woman's) grandchild

shtthuuy
my (man's) grandchild

shaadeh
my older sister

naadeh
your older sister

maadeh
his or her older sister

shdéedz
my younger sister

ndéedz
your younger sister

wudéedz
his or her younger sister

shundaagh
my older brother

nundaagh
your older brother

mindaagh
his or her older brother

shchel
my younger brother

nchel
your younger brother

wuchel
his or her younger brother

shkę́y'
my husband

nkę́y'
your husband

wukę́y'
her husband

sh'at
my wife

n'at
your wife

wu'at
his wife

shaak'ey
my aunt (woman speaking)

shtâay
my uncle (woman speaking)

stsųu
my aunt (man speaking)

shtâay
my uncle (father's brother, man speaking)

shee'eh
my uncle (mother's brother, man speaking)

shxeh
my brother's wife (woman speaking)

shłenh
my sister's husband (woman speaking)

shxeh
my brother's wife (man speaking)

shłenh
my sister's husband (man speaking)

shshaaz
my son (woman speaking)

shyaats'é'e
my daughter (woman speaking)

shtthé'e
my daughter (man speaking)

shchaay keyh
my grandchildren

shchaay iin
my grandchildren

sh'éł ts'enindêg iin
my siblings

xu'ude'egken iin
relatives

dendeh
man

dendeey iin
men

ts'éhxeh
woman

ts'éhxeey iin
women

ts'enîin
child

ts'ínkeey iin
children

tsiil
boy

tsiil gaay
little boy

t'ed
girl

ts'éhxeh gaay
little girl

xaskeh
chief

Xaskeh wu'at sínt'eh.
She is the chief's wife.

deshen
medicine man

ch'etey
old man

ts'est'e'
old woman