xwlalám

to listen

Xwlalám is the Halq’eméylem word for ‘to listen’.

Pronunciation

• Xwlalám sounds like hwuh-la-LAM, except that instead of an h the first sound is the Halq’eméylem soft-x (with rounded lips).
• To make the soft-x, you gently touch your tongue to the roof of your mouth, towards the back, and create light friction (see diagram here).

Audio: Elizabeth Herrling, Elizabeth Phillips

-ing form

Xwlalám has a special ‘-ing’ form, like this: xwélalà:m – listening (audio here).

Elders make this type of –ing form by adding a vowel after the first xw.

Related words

Here are some other words related to xwlalám:

• xwlalá: – strain to listen, listening hard
• xwlalá:met – to listen to
• xwlalámstexw – to make someone listen (some elders shorten this to xwlalástexw )