thq’ét

Thq’ét means ‘to spear (it)’. Elders normally use this to talk about spearing fish, but you can also use it to talk about spearing other things too.

Pronunciation

Thq’ét sounds like thu-KUTT, except that:

• instead of a K you say the Halq’eméylem q sound. You make this further back in your mouth, with the back of your tongue touching your uvula.
• This q is also popped (q’). To make the popped q, you combine it with a catch in the throat (glottal stop).

Audio: Elizabeth Herrling, Elizabeth Phillips

-ing form

Thq’ét has a special –ing (‘progressive’) form, to describe an onging action, like this: tháq’t – spearing (audio here).

Related words

Thq’ét has the same root as several other words, including:

• thq’á:ls – to spear fish (this describes the general activity, as in ‘I’m going spear-fishing’)
• thithq’eyóls – to play pool, billiards (literally ‘spearing round things‘)
• thq’ó:les – to get dust or other particles stuck in one’s eye (literally ‘speared in the eye‘)