six
T’xém is the Halq’eméylem word for the number ‘six’. There are specific words for counting certain objects (people, trees, canoes, etc.), but t’xém is the general word for ‘six’….
Pronunciation
- T’xém sounds like tuh-KUMM, except that (i) the t is popped, and (ii) instead of a k you say the Halq’emeylem hard-x sound.
- To make a popped t (t’), you combine the t with a catch in the throat (glottal stop) sound.
- To make the hard-x sound, you touch the back of your tongue way back to your uvula, then you create heavy friction there.
Audio: Rosaleen George
Related words
A number of other words are related to t’xém, including these examples:
- T’xémele – six (for counting people) (The ending –íle, or variants –ále or –éle appears on many of the numbers for counting people.)
- T’xemōwelh – six canoes (The ending –ōwelh appears on many words related to canoes.)
- T’xémes – six dollars (The –es ending appears on many words related to dollars.)
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