Tú:xw is the Halq’eméylem word for the number ‘nine’. There are specific words for counting certain objects (people, trees, canoes, etc.), but tú:xw is the general word for ‘nine’….
Pronunciation
- Tú:xw sounds like TOOSH, except that instead of a SH you say the Halq’eméylem soft-x sound (with lip rounding).
- To make the Halq’eméylem soft-x, you touch your tongue to the roof of your mouth (hard palate) and create light friction. It sounds similar to sh, but for the soft-x you touch further back on the roof of your mouth.
- To produce the lip-rounding for xw, you stick your lips our slightly.
Audio: Rosaleen George
Related words
A number of other words are related to tú:xw, including these examples:
- Tuxwále – nine (for counting people) (The ending –íle, –ále, or –éle appears on many of the numbers for counting people.)
- Tuxw’ōwelh – nine canoes (The ending –ōwelh appears on many words related to canoes.)
- Túxwes – nine dollars (The –es or –os ending appears on many words for dollars.)
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