Since time immemorial, the SEN膯O纽EN language has carried the stories and values of the W瘫S脕NE膯 people. Now, for the first time, a 1,500-page dictionary containing over 12,000 words will ensure the language lives on.
Timothy Montler, a linguist and Distinguished Research Professor University of North Texas, has worked for 40 years with SEN膯O纽EN speakers to record and define the language. The effort to create a SEN膯O纽EN dictionary began in 2012, after Montler worked with elders, educators and tribal councils to create a Klallam dictionary.
Though there have been online resources like FirstVoices that feature recordings and definitions, Belinda Claxton said the process was more personal because Montler worked 鈥渉and-in-hand鈥� with the community for so long.
鈥淗e actually got sentences from the elders. It doesn鈥檛 have just words, it鈥檚 got teachings and values.鈥�
The front of the dictionary features the names and photos of the 26 SEN膯O纽EN-speaking elders that contributed to the dictionary.
Montler compiled recordings made by himself, Claxton, and others, and built a database of words and definitions, as well as information about grammar. Each entry has an example sentence to accompany it, as well as pronunciations using the International Phonetic Alphabet.
The words are recorded in the SEN膯O纽EN alphabet, created by Dave Elliott Sr. in 1978, who turned an oral language into a written one by overstriking the 26 English letters on a standard typewriter with hyphens, slashes, underscores, and accents so no expensive, specialized equipment was required.
鈥淥nce it鈥檚 here, it鈥檚 like it鈥檚 saved,鈥� said Lou Claxton, Belinda鈥檚 brother. 鈥淎 lot of words I forgot myself. And my mother spoke nothing but SEN膯O纽EN to me when I was a kid,鈥� adding that when he was a child, he said to his mother, 鈥淚鈥檇 rather learn English.鈥�
鈥淣ow some of the language that we might have forgotten, it鈥檚 down here [in this book],鈥� said Lou.
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Lou and Belinda鈥檚鈥� mother Elsie was the last monolingual speaker of SEN膯O纽EN, but she could comprehend English fairly well. Before she died in 2000 at the age of around 93, she contributed to many recordings of SEN膯O纽EN words and phrases.
鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 very long ago when everybody on this whole Peninsula, and on the Gulf Islands, spoke only SEN膯O纽EN鈥efore the big invasion of English speakers came in,鈥� said Montler.
However, many children lost their language at residential schools, where their language was forbidden.
Montler said the language contains 鈥渟tories for all the places, every little spring and bay and inlet.鈥� S染脕赂EU赂TW瘫 , or Tsawout, means 鈥渉igher up,鈥� said Lou.
冉EL赂TOS, or James Island, means 鈥渟plashed in the face,鈥� said Montler, who also said the island was home to a rare breed of white deer.
鈥淔or the longest time, nobody had any evidence of our language on paper like it is now. The teachers can hardly wait to get their hands on that,鈥� said Lou.
Every word has been extensively checked for accuracy, with their definitions and example sentences attributed to the elders who told Montler.
Belinda hopes the language will be taught more in public schools, but it will be first used at the tribal school.
鈥淎t one time or another, we thought the fire was going to go out. But it survived, our language survived, and I鈥檓 so happy,鈥� said Belinda.
reporter@peninsulanewsreview.com
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