New Book and CD Introduces Tanacross Athabascan Language
New Book and CD Introduces Tanacross Athabascan Language
Submitted by Carla Browning
Phone: (907) 474-7778
10/09/03
Most Alaskans will never experience a conversation in Tanacross Athabascan, but a new CD published by the Alaska Native Language Center introduces listeners to the rhythms of life in the region.
"Tanacross Athabascan Phrases and Conversations" was written and recorded by Irene Solomon Arnold, a Tanacross language specialist at ANLC who has been involved in teaching and documenting the language for more than a decade. It’s the third volume in its series of recorded phrases and conversations aimed at helping students and visitors gain an introductory knowledge of an Alaska Native language.
Listeners can follow along in an accompanying book in Tanacross and English as Arnold clearly pronounces common words and phrases that are part of life in an interior Athabascan village. Included are greetings, exclamations, requests, place names, numbers, directions and words for weather, tools and animals. The final track is a summary of the sounds and letters of the language, some of which occur in English and some that have no English equivalent.
Tanacross is spoken today primarily in the village of Tanacross, but also in Dot Lake, Healy Lake and in the Tok area. It is part of the Athabascan family, but is clearly a distinct language with high tone in places where neighboring languages carry low or no tone. The set, including the book and one audio CD, is available from ANLC for $26.
Listen to a sample of Tanacross Athabascan words and phrases.
CONTACT: Tom Alton, Alaska Native Language Center (907) 474-6577 or by e-mail at fyanlp@uaf.edu, or Carla Browning, public information officer at (907) 474-7778 or carla.browning@uaf.edu or visit the ANLC website www.uaf.edu/anlc/publications.html for more information.