Western Apache-English Dictionary

Apache Alphabet and Pronunciation Guide

Apache
Alphabet

Apache

Standardized

Combinations

Apache
Example

International

Phonetic

Alphabet

English
Example

(glottal
stop)

•

ba'

•

"Ohio If

the brief

stop at the

hyphen

a

•

bigan

a

father

aa

shitaa'

•

•

a

masaina

•

•

?

gow^

•

•

%

nad^'

•

•

b

•

bdn

b

bet

c

ch

chaa

tl

divirch

d

•

diyin

d

day

dl

dl^'

•

pad-dling

dz

dztf

•

^ds

e

•

yebik'eh

e

get

ee

idee'

•

•

e

b6sh

•

•

%

binatsik^

•

•

t

nk^

•

•

S

•

gow^

g

go

gh

bighan

•

•

h

•

hosh

h

hot

hw

danohwigha

•

what

i

•

shini'

•

police

ii

chiizh

•

•

i

dii

•

•

XVI

Apache Alphabet and Pronunciation Guide

Apache
Alphabet

Apache

Standardized

Combinations

Apache
Example

International

Phonetic

Alphabet

English
Example

i

I

kth

•

•

i

t^'i

•

•

J

bijaa'

d3

jam

k

kee

k

Jyck

1

Uoh

1

lid

r

C

•

weH

m

m^'

m

man

n

naltsoos

n

not

o

ba'cho

o

also

oo

yoo

•

•

6

ard6'

•

•

e

TiZhQQ

•

•

e

d^'

•

•

s

•

sis

s

sister

sh

shash

J

^ip

t

•

tazhii

t

tree

tr

diltfah

•

•

ts

tsar

•

k>ts

u

u

tu

•

toot

w

•

biwos

s

wUl

y

•

yaak'os

j

yes

z

•

zas

z

zebra

zh

zhii^i

•

azure

Adapted from White Mountain Apache Culture Center [staff], comp., Western Apache
Dictionary. Fort Apache, AZ: White Mountain Apache Tribe, 1972.

xvu

Important Changes in writing Conventions

Some writing conventions that were used in earlier written works
have been changed.

1. Nasalization is not marked when its presence is obvious.

2. The consonant x is no longer used. In earlier texts, it was used
to distinguish between the phoneme sh and cases where one
syllable ended in s and the next began with an h (as in
bizlsxll). This combination is now written with a hyphen
(bizlS'hil),

3. The hyphen is used when an enclitic such as -hi is added to a
word ending in g, s, or z, as opposed to the former method of
deleting the h. Now, instead of writing digisfl, the word will
be written dlgis-bL

4. The previous example makes a further point of change obvious:
the nominalizer will now be written with a single vowel (-hf)
except in those cases where the double vowel is needed to
distinguish meaning, such as in -nlnll and -hihIL

5. The first part of the verb is often like a prepositional phrase
in English: for me/shii, for you/nii, on it/ biki\ etc. Even
though prefixes are a part of the whole verb, they can often be
written separately, which helps to make the words a bit
shorter and easier to read. Where possible, this has been done.
Some words, however, like "broom" benigolzh6h6 (that by
means of which sweeping is done) cannot be separated; thus,
such terms will be written together with the prefix bee-
shortened to be-.

6. Short forms or contractions of common words have been in-
cluded. Such entries are followed by the conventional long
forms labeled see also . For example: iftdd' (il sttdd') or
&(w% (il bigh%).

xvni

Abbreviations and Signs Used in This Dictionary

1. ^ certain kinds of objects

The Apache language uses different verbs to
refer to the handling of different categories of
objects (tor example: long, thick objects or flat,
flexible objects). When referring to such an
object, the English "it" or "them" or other ap-
propriate pronoun is marked with an asterisk
(it*/them*) as in shaiityh or shahttsdds
(give it* to me). The it* in each example refers
to a specific kind of object (see pages xxv and
xxvi for additional information).

2. (Two) dual/two people or actors

The singular "you" is not marked; when the
Apache term refers to the dual "you" (the two
of you/you two), it is marked as you (two).

3. dv dialect variation

Naturally, people who speak the same language
do not always pronounce each word exacdy the
same. Western Apache, however, does show
distinct differences that are patterned and
systematic, with equally correct forms in two
major dialects. Dialect variations are indicated
in this dictionary by the small "dv" at the end
of the particular entry.

4. ' high tone

High tone or stress is applied to the pronuncia-
tion of the designated letter.

Ex.: bifi

xn

5. - hyphen

A hyphen after an euu-y indicates the letter
group is a prefix; a hyphen before an entry in-
dicates the letter or letter group is used as a
suffix; and hyphens on both sides of the entry
indicate the entry is an infix.

6. 6 nasalization

Nasalization of the vowel is made by most of the
air being exhaled through the nose rather than
the mouth, as in sounding "m," "n," or "ng" in
English.

Ex.: goyf%

7. (PL) plural

Plural forms indicate three or more people or
actors; the plural "yoti" is marked: you (PL).

8. see also Cross-reference information is listed to indi-

cate variant spellings for short and long forms
of the entry word and for synonyms.

9. / slash

The slash indicates alternative spellings
and/or meanings.

10. (SB) somebody

Verbs may include a pronoun used to indicate
indefinite person or persons.

Apache pronouns are not differentiated as to
gender, so that a third-person singular pronoun
means "he" or "she" or "it" depending on the
context. For the sake of simplicity, "he" has
been used in the translations except in cases
where it is obviously inappropriate.

Ex.: he (SB), they (SB)

xui

11. (ST) something

The notation (ST) is used in the same way as
(SB), but (ST) indicates animal(s) or object(s),
not person(s).

NOTE: When one is studying grammar and/or prepar-

ing paradigms and referring to first person,
second person, third person, etc., the (SB) or
(ST) is often referred to as a subgroup of third
person or as fourth person.

WESTERN APACHE-
ENGLISH DICTIONARY

A Community-Generated
Bilingual Dictionary

Dorothy Bray, editor,

in collaboration with the
White Mountain Apache Tribe

Bilingual Press/Editorial Bilingije

Tempe, Arizona