Web site offers Tlingit language pronunciation (fwd)

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Web site offers Tlingit language pronunciation

November 8, 2004
By TONY CARROLL
JUNEAU EMPIRE
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/110804/loc_20041108014.shtml

Hearing accurately spoken Tlingit is now just a matter of going to the
Internet. On Thursday, Sealaska Heritage Institute launched a new audio
language resource on its Web site to help people learn Tlingit sounds.

"There are a lot of sounds in Tlingit that aren't present in English,"
said Rosita Worl, president of the institute.

There are approximately 30,000 Tlingits across the U.S., and the
institute often hears from people who want access to proper
pronunciation, she said.

At www.sealaskaheritage.org/programs/language_resources.htm, the page
allows people to hear sounds from the Tlingit alphabet, and how they
are used in words.

Making the sounds may not seem natural for English speakers. The site
gives information about where the speaker needs to place the tongue.
The "kw" sound, for example comes from deep in the throat.

It also has a phrase of the week. This week's is the Tlingit expression
meaning "it's good to see you."

"Our main goals are to assist Native language teachers by providing
downloadable resources they can use in their classrooms and to make
materials accessible to learners everywhere who do not have access to
fluent speakers," Worl said.

The resource was developed by the language department, headed by
Language Director Keri Edwards.

"This is only one aspect of our work on language materials, both in
Tlingit and Haida," Worl said.

Andy Hope, southeast regional coordinator of the Alaska Rural Systemic
Initiative, said accurate access to spoken Tlingit is badly needed.

"Making it accessible on the Web is the best media," he said, He also
has been working on developing Internet resources for educators.
Keeping Tlingit alive is important, Hope said. He believes it could
help keep Native youths in school.

"The Native kids need something to connect to," he said. "We're down to
less than a handful of Haida speakers in Southeast Alaska. We're
getting to that point in Tlingit, too."