Language

Sounds

Consonants

The 45 consonants of Oowekyala:

Phonologically, affricates are treated as stops, and nasals and approximants are treated as sonorants. Additionally, /ɦ/ and /ʔ/ are treated as sonorants.

A more phonological representation of the consonantal segments is the following:

Vowels

The 6 vowels of Oowekyala:

Oowekyala has phonemic short, long, and glottalized vowels.

Syllables

Oowekyala, like the infamous Nuxalk is a Salishan language spoken in the Canadian town Bella Coola, British Columbia. Until recently, the language was also called Bella Coola, but the native designation Nuxalk is now to be preferred. Categories: Language stubs | Native American languages | Languages of Canada | Native American tribes | Languages of North America | Salishan... Nuxálk (Bella Coola), allows long sequences of obstruents, as in the following 7-obstruent word:

[ʦ’k’ʷχttɬkʦ]  'the invisible one here-with-me will be short'   (Howe 2000: 5)

Links

• The Heiltsuk-Oweek'ala Language (http://www.ydli.org/langs/heiltsuk.htm)
• Bibliography of Materials on the Heiltsuk Language (http://www.ydli.org/biblios/heilbib.htm)
• The Wakashan Languages (http://depts.washington.edu/wll2/languages.html)

Bibliography

• Boas, Franz. (1928). Bella Bella texts. Columbia University contributions to anthropology (No. 5).
• Boas, Franz. (1932). Bella Bella tales. Memoirs of the American Folklore Society (No. 25).
• Hanuse, R., Sr.; Smith, H.; & Stevenson, D. (Eds.) (1983?). The Adjee and the Little Girl. Rivers Inlet, BC: Oowekyala Language Project.
• Hilton, Suzanne; & Rath, John C. (1982). Oowekeeno oral traditions. Ottawa: National Museums of Canada.
• Howe, Darin. (1998). Aspects of Heiltsuk laryngeal phonology. Ms., University of British Columbia.
• Howe, Darin M. (2000). Oowekyala segmental phonology. (Doctoral dissertation, University of Ottawa).
• Johnson, S.; Smith, H.; & Stevenson, D. (1983?). What time is it? Rivers Inlet, BC: Oowekyala Language Project.
• Johnson, S.; Smith, H.; & Stevenson, D. (1983?). Fishing at Rivers Inlet. Rivers Inlet, BC: Oowekyala Language Project.
• Johnson, S.; Smith, H.; & Stevenson, D. (1983?). Qaquthanugva uikala. Rivers Inlet, BC: Oowekyala Language Project.
• Johnson, S.; Smith, H.; & Stevenson, D. (1983?). Sisa'kvimas. Rivers Inlet, BC: Oowekyala Language Project.
• Johnson, S.; Smith, H.; & Stevenson, D. (1983?). ’Katemxvs ’Wuik’ala. Rivers Inlet, BC: Oowekyala Language Project.
• Johnson, S.; Smith, H.; & Stevenson, D. (1984?). Oowekyala words. Rivers Inlet, BC: Oowekyala Language Project.
• Lincoln, Neville J.; & Rath, John C. (1980). North Wakashan comparative root list. Ottawa: National Museums of Canada.
• Poser, William J. (2003). The status of documentation for British Columbia native languages. Yinka Dene Language Institute Technical Report (No. 2). Vanderhoof, British Columbia: Yinka Dene Language Institute.
• Rath, John C. (1981). A practical Heiltsuk-English dictionary. Canadian Ethnology Service, Mercury Series paper (No. 75). Ottawa: National Museum of Man.
• Stevenson, David. (1980). The Oowekeeno people: A cultural history. Ottawa, Ontario: National Museum of Man (now Hull, Quebec: Museum of Civilization). (Unpublished).
• Stevenson, David. (1982). The ceremonial names of the Oowekeeno people of Rivers Inlet. Ottawa, Ontario: National Museum of Man (now Hull, Quebec: Museum of Civilization). (Unpublished).
• Storie, Susanne. (Ed.). (1973). Oweekano Stories. (Special Collections: E99 094 094 1973). Victoria: British Columbia Indian Advisory Committee.
• Windsor, Evelyn W. (1982). Oowekeeno oral traditions as told by the late chief Simon Walkus, Sr. Hilton, S.; & Rath, J. C. (Eds.). Mercury series (No. 84). Ottawa: National Museum of Man.