Koyukon

yah
house

aa

din a a

man

Alphabet

a sounds like the

above and sofa

bid

z iy;

caribou
ch

leech
dog

in

aa sounds like the '*a" in

fathei' and sometimes
like the

"a'*

"a" in cat.

b is similar to the

'*b"

better.

ch sounds like the "ch^' in

church.
The ''ch" is
used only in Upper
Koyukon.
The "k" without an underline changes
to "ch".

ch'

ch'ileech
song

is similar to "ch", but

with a slight popping
sound.
The "ch'" is used
only in Upper Koyukon.
The "k'" without an^'under-

ch'

line

dineega
moose

changes to "ch'".

d is similar to the "d" in

do.

dl

1 i

dl is

mountain

dz

dz a

f/jnm

ah

similar to

"gl'*

in

but made in the

same position as a '*d"
and not back in the '*g''
position.
glass,

dz is similar to the '*dz'*

or '*ds'* in adze and

gum

fads.

ee

k'eelak'ee

ee usually sounds like the

When next
'*ee" in see.

one

back consonant it
sounds similar to the

to a

"ay'* in say.

din g a
money

g is similar to the "g" in

gun.

g^oh

similar to the "g"

sound but pronounced
further back in one's

rabbit

J"'^.
gh

ghahoal

JW

is

throat.

he is walking

hogoh

lard

is

similar to the "h"

hand.
in

is similar to the "h"

but with a whispered
quality and friction.

snow goose

haa

made

in the position
"g"
but with the air
of a
passing through the
mouth as in saying *'z".

gh

is

dikin

sounds like the "i" in

pin and spin.

stick

jeeja

sounds like the

*'j"

in

used
The
just.
only in Upper Koyukon.
"j*'

blueberry

The

*'k''

is

without an

underline changes to "j".

ke

boy
k

k a akin a
boots

U:^^

k sounds like the "k" in

kill.

k is similar to the "k"

sound, but pronounced
further back in one's
throat.

k'

k'ileek

similar to the '*k*',

a slight popwith
but
ping sound.

song

k*

k'

ee jr

similar to the^'k'*,
but with a slight popping sound and also
pronounced further back
in one*s throat.

k'

birch

aguna

dog

is

sounds like the

^'l'*

in

love.

dried fish

leek

is

k*

similar to the "1"

but with a whispered
quality and friction.
The
*'!'*
letter is an
with a
line drawn through it.
is

tl'

tl'in
bone

ts

Dinaak'a
Our

La ngu age

Koyukon
Athapaskan
compiled by
David C. Henry
Marie D. Hunter
Eliza Jones

&

others

illustrated by

Thelma A. Webster
a special printing for

the Koyukon Cultural Enrichment Program

Alaska State-Operated Schools
650 International Airport Road
Anchorage, Alaska 99502

1969, 1973 by

Summer

Institute of Linguistics, Inc.

Box 1028
Fairbanks, Alaska 99707