Gwich’in Language found in Animation Adventure with Molly of Denali

We hope you’re enjoying (or have enjoyed) Animation Adventure with Molly of Denali at Science World’s Creative Technology Gallery! Thanks for scanning to learn more about 10-year old Molly Mabray’s Alaska Native culture—through the Gwich’in language.

Molly herself is Gwich’in, Dena’ina, and Koyukon—representing several Alaska Native cultures. She speaks Gwich’in, one of the 20 Alaska Native languages that continue today thanks to the Ancestors, Elders, and language learners who have preserved and passed them on.

Scroll down to hear and practice Gwich’in pronunciations through English translations!

Room 1: Dream

Room 2: Build

Room 3: Play

Alaska Native Values

Gwich’in: Gineeriinlyaa / g i n • e • r ē n • l y a /

English translation: We Dream

Phonetic Gwich’in:

G – The sound of "g" in "get."
i – The sound of "i" as in "it."
n - The sound of "n" as in "night."
ee – The elongated sound of "e" as in "bet."
r – The sound of "r" as in "are."
ii – The elongated sound of "ea" as in "eat."
n – The sound of "n" as in "night."
l – The sound of "l" as in "light."
y – The sound of "y" as in "yeah."
aa – The elongated sound of "a" as in "apple."

Gwich’in: Gwarahtsii / g w ä • r ä h • t s ē /

English Translation: We Build

Phonetic Gwich’in:

G – The sound of "g" in "get."
w – The sound of "w" as in "won."
a – The sound of “a” as in “Aussie.”
r – The sound of "r" as in "are."
a – The sound of “a” as in “Aussie.”
h – The sound of "h" as in "hat."
ts – The sound of "ts" as in "tsunami."
ii – The elongated sound of "ea" as in "eat."

Gwich’in: Tseegwii'in / t s e • g w ē • ‘ i n /

English Translation: We Play

Phonetic Gwich’in: Ts-eh-gwee-inn

Ts – The sound of "ts" as in "tsunami."
ee – The elongated sound of "e" as in "bet."
g – The sound of "g" in "get."
w – The sound of "w" as in "won."
ii – The elongated sound of "ea" as in "eat."
‘ (glottal stop) The sound is the pause in "uh-oh."
i – The sound of "i" as in "it."
n - The sound of "n" as in "night."