sqá:q

little brother, little sister

Sqá:q is the Halq’eméylem word for ‘little brother’ or ‘little sister’ …

Pronunciation

• Sqá:q sounds like SKACK, except instead of k‘s you say the Halq’eméylem q.
• To make the Halq’eméylem q, raise the back of your tongue to your uvula.

Audio: Elizabeth Herrling, Elizabeth Phillips

Examples

Here are some examples of how you can use the word sqá:q:

• Iti te sqá:qs tl’ John. – Here is John’s little brother.
• I:wolem tel sqá:q li te s’átl’q. – My little brother is playing outside.
• I’iy ta’ sqá:q! – Your little brother is cute!

Plural Form

Sqá:q has a special plural form, like this: sqeláq (audio here).

Elders make this type of plural by inserting an l into the word.

Notes

• Sqá:q can be male or female. There are no special words distinguishing brother from sister.
• If you want to distinguish gender, you can say te sqá:q for the little brother or the sqá:q for the little sister.
• The word for baby is very similar: sqáqele. Both words may be based on séq – to hang under.
• If your mother or father has a sqá:q, then that person’s children (some of your cousins) also count as your sqá:q‘s.