shxwtole’ólestel

eyeglasses

Shxwtole’ólestel is the Halq’eméylem word for  ‘eyeglasses’…

Pronunciation

Shxwtole’ólestel sounds like shuh-wuh-TALL-uh-ALL-us-tull, except that after the first sh you say the Halq’eméylem soft-x sound. This sound is also rounded (xw).

Note that the apostrophe marks a catch in the throat (glottal stop).

Audio: Elizabeth Herrling, Elizabeth Phillips

Alternative forms

Note that some elders use a slightly different word for eyeglasses, like this: stole’ólestel. This uses the plain s- at the start (marking it as a noun), rather than shxw-.

Note that other elders use a very different word for eyeglasses, like this: skw’echó:steló:les – eyeglasses (literally ‘windows of the eyes’)

Related words

Shxwtole’ólestel contains the ending -óles, for ‘in/of the eyes’. This same ending occurs in many other words related to the eyes, for example:

• P’eq’ó:les – white eyes, cataract (p’eq’ means ‘white‘)
  

  cataract, have a cataract

• Sqe’ó:les – tear (literally ‘water of the eye’)
  

  tear

• St’elmexwó:les – eye medicine
• Kw’qwó:les – get hit in the eye

The -tel ending in shxwtole’ólestel refers to tools or devices. Some other words that use the –tel ending include:

• Sch’áletstel – chair (literally ‘device for putting your rear end on’)
  

  chair

• X̲éltel – pen, pencil (literally ‘tool for writing or marking’)
  

  pencil, pen, writing implement

• Exwtel – broom (literally ‘tool for sweeping’)
  

  broom