Slheq’átses

Friday

Slheq’átses is the Halq’eméylem word for ‘Friday’.

Literally Slheq’átses means ‘fifth period, fifth cycle‘.

Pronunciation

Slheq’átses sounds like this: sluk-AT-ses, except that instead of a k you say the Halq’eméylem q sound, which you make further back in your mouth, at your uvula. In this word the q is also popped, by combining it with a catch in the throat sound (‘glottal stop’).

Audio: Elizabeth Phillips

Structure

Elders made Slheq’átses in the following way:

The s- prefix marks nouns. The -es ending here marks ‘period, cycle’ (in some other words this ending is pronounced –ós or –ó:s. In addition to marking time periods, the -es/-ós ending can also refer to the face, or to money).

Because it literally means ‘fifth period‘ or ‘fifth cycle‘, you can also use slheq’átses to mean ‘five o’clock‘.

slheq’átses