Dena’ina Topical Dictionary
This page contains excerpts from Chapter 13 of the Dena’ina Topical Dictionary (ANLC 2008). Below are a sample of entries from two different sections of the chapter. The complete print publication can be purchased from the Alaska Native Language Center.
Chapter 13 - Sky, Weather and Atmosphere
13.1 Sky and Stars
| sky | yuq' | |
| darkness | heł | |
| it got dark | nughiłghatl' | |
| horizon | yuvugh ełnen vugh | lit. 'edge of the sky' lit. 'edge of the earth' |
| moon | geljay (UI) ghelja (OSl) | |
| it is a full moon | q'analyun (UO) q'anghalyun (I) k'nudnudlet (O S&P) | lit. 'it is full grown' |
| northern lights | yuyqux (I) yuyqush (OU) | |
| sun | ni'i (O) n'uyi (IU) nu'uy (U) |
13.2 Weather
| bad weather | ch'uqughił qiz'un (I) ch'eduqidiłt'e (U) | |
| good weather | yaghelich' qiz'un (IO) yaghelich' qiy'un (U) | |
| cloud | q'es | |
| cloud cover, overcast sky | yuq' hnalt'em yunlay (U) yuq' dahi (IO) | |
| cold, cold weather; north wind | ezhi'i (I) ezhiyi (O) edli'i (U) | lit. 'cold one' |
| fog | uq (U) nunigi | |
| frost | shegh shagh (U) | |
| lightning | tsila, shila (U) shila (OI) delvashi (OI) | |
| rain | kun | |
| it is raining | ełkun | |
| it is pouring rain | qakundenlzil (I) qakundelyil (U) | |
| rainbow | shabila (UI) jabila (OU) | lit. 'sun snare' |
| warmth, warm weather | ebayi (OU) eva'i (I) |
13.2.1 Falling Snow, Snow Storms
| snow (on ground) | chitl' nzhah (OI) yes | |
| falling snow | yus nudahi (U) | lit 'falling objects' |
| sleet, half rain and half snow | tlaq' | |
| spring snow that causes last snow to melt | nzhah gelqedi (O) nut'aq'i zhaq'a (O) ch'enq' k'yilquni (I) nunhdecheni (U) k'etunuynashahi (I) | lit 'one that eats snow' lit 'goose's spit' lit 'that which is on the wings' lit 'causes water to increase' |
Dialect abbreviations
- (I) = Inland (Nondalton, Lime Village, often Iliamna)
- (L) = Lime Village
- (Lk-I) = Kuskokwim Ingalik at Lime Village
- (N) = Nondalton
- (Il) = Iliamna
- (U) = Upper Cook Inlet (Tyonek, Susitna Station, Knik, Eklutna)
- (Su) = Susitna Staion
- (E) = Eklutna
- (T) = Talkeetna
- (Kn) = Knik
- (O) = Outer Cook Inlet (Kenai, Kustatan)
- (Sl) = Seldovia (+Sl) = in all dialects and confirmed for Sledovia
Excerpted from the Dena’ina Topical Dictionary, edited by James Kari.