alhteláwtxw

restaurant

Alhteláwtxw is the Halq’eméylem word for ‘restaurant’. Literally it means ‘building for eating’.

Pronunciation

• Alhteláwtxw sounds like ELL-till-awt-shw, except that the first “l” (lh) is hissy, and the last sound is a soft-x.
• To make the hissy-l (lh), make a regular “l” but make it hissy, like a snake, and with no vibration in your throat.
• To make the soft-x, touch your tongue to the roof of your mouth and create soft friction.
• In this word the x is also rounded (xw), so your lips protrude (round) slightly.

Note: many elders do not say the final xw, so they pronounce the word Alhteláwt. This is also a ‘correct’ pronunciation.

Audio: Elizabeth Phillips

Related words

Elders built the word alhteláwtxw from the base word alhtel – to eat.

The -áwtxw ending means ‘building for’, or ‘room for’, and you will see it in many other words in the language, for example:

• Tále’áwtxw – bank (tále means money)
• Sléxwelháwtxw – canoe shed (sléxwelh means canoe)
• Qiq’áwtxw – jail (qíq’ means locked up)