Activity:

Students find pairs and practice the Territorial Acknowledgment and common greetings and sayings in Secwepemctsin. After the activity, bring the group back together and ask how that felt to try speaking in Secwepemctsin. Connect the activity to how Aboriginal ELL feel when learning English.

Secwepemctsin (language of the Secwepemc) is one of the Interior Salish languages of the large Salishan language family. Secwepemctsin sound system consists of 43 consonants and 5 vowels. Many of these sounds are not found in the English language and are difficult to learn (First Peoples Cultural Council, 2020).

Territorial Acknowledgment:

The campuses of Thompson Rivers University are located on the traditional and unceded territory of the Secwepemc Nation within Secwepemcul’ecw. As we share knowledge, teaching, learning and research within this university, we recognize that this territory has always been a place of teaching and learning.We acknowledge Tk’emlĂşps te Secwepemc. We acknowledge T’exelcemc and Xat’sĂşll. We respectfully acknowledge the Secwepemc—the peoples who have lived here for thousands of years.

Common Greetings and Sayings in Secwepemctsin:

Weyt-kp xwexwéytep (Wait-kp)– Hello (to several people)

[Insert your name] ren skwekwst (en sk-west) – My name is

Te [insert place you are from] re st7Ă©7kwen (Te [insert place] eh st-eh-kwen) – I am from

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Weyt-k – Hello (to one person)

Weyt-kp – Hello (to many people)

Tscwinúcw-k – I’m glad you made it through the night (traditional Secwepemc “good morning”)

Tscwinúcw-kp – I’m glad you all made it through the night.

Le7 te secwén̓wen – good morning (literal translation from English to Secwepemctsín)

Le7 te sitq̓t – good day

Le7 te sítest – good evening

Me7 wíkstsen – see you

Me7 wíktlmen – see you all later

Ec k etícucw – sleep well and good night (traditional “good night”)

Ec kp etícucw – sleep well and good night all of you

Putúcw – goodbye

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Kukstemc – thanks

Kukstsétsemc – Thank you in the humblest manner (thank you so much, eternally grateful, etc.)

E t̓7e7k-ken – excuse me

Qwenén-ken – I want …

Me7e – yes

Ta7a – no

Swetí7 ke7 skwest? – who are you? What is your name?

Le7-en-k t̓uc? – how are you? Are you well?

Cu̓7tsem – again, repeat

Ta7 ks tselxemstéten – I don’t understand, I don’t know

Thé7en re – where is …?