Alutiiq Word of the Week

Some lessons have multiple Alutiiq terms for an English word. If two Alutiiq words appear separated by a comma (,), both words are commonly used. Sometimes there are two English words for one Alutiiq word. This means that the Alutiiq word has two meanings in English.

There are geographic differences in the use of Alutiiq words. In the archive, some Alutiiq words are followed by (N) or (S). These are abbreviations for the northern (N) and southern (S) ways of speaking the Kodiak Alutiiq dialect. If two words appear without a note, word choice is a matter of individual preference.

Readers may notice that the Alutiiq words used in sentences are often spelled differently than when they appear alone. This is because Alutiiq speakers make words by combining word parts. This system allows nouns to become verbs and verbs to become nouns, and changes spellings.