ts’méth’

blue

Ts’méth’ is the Halq’eméylem word for ‘blue’ …

Pronunciation

• Ts’méth’ sounds like tsuh-MITTS, except that there are two catch-in-the-throat sounds (‘glottal stops‘), marked with the apostrophes.
• Elders very in how they say the th’ at the end:(1) For some the end sounds like ts, then the catch in the throat.
  (2) For others the end sounds like a t, then a th (as in English ‘think‘), and then the catch in the throat.

  Both pronunciations are correct.

Audio: Elizabeth Herrling, Elizabeth Phillips

Example for usage

Here are some examples of how you can use ts’méth’:

• Q. Selchí:momex tetha? – What color is that?
• A. Ts’méth’ tetha! – That’s blue!

• Q. Selchí:momex te swáyel? – What color is the sky?
• A. Ts’méth’ te swáyel! – The sky is blue!

Related words

Here are some words based on ts’méth’:

• ts’méth’ó:les – blue eyes, have blue eyes (-ó:les appears on words for ‘eyes‘)
• tsmímeth’ – a little blue (partial doubling and the inserted i marks ‘little’)