lelum’ slhuqw’uthut  | Housework

In this conversation you will hear Delores Louie | Swustanulwut (A) discussing with her mother-in-law Marjorie Louie | tuy’tth’at (B) about cleaning her house, making a plan about what Delores will do. [You will notice that Delores, as she originates from quw’utsun’ uses kwthu as the out of view determiner, while Marjorie uses kwu.] Donna Gerdts recorded this on February 10, 1998. And Delores and Ruby Peter helped Donna transcribe and translate it.


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A1(1)stem kwu’ yuw’en’teen’ ’u kwthu syaays?What shall I work on first?
(2)tun’untsu tsun?Where shall I start?
B1(3)na’ut p’uw’ wulh ts’imulh tahw skweyul, xte’um ch ’ukw’ sxlhas tst.It is now close to lunch time, so you might as well prepare our lunch.
A2(4)’ah. ’uy’! wa’lu slhap’us, ’a?Oh. OK. Shall we make soup?
B2(5)hee. ’uy’!Yes. That is good.
A3(6)’uw’ ni’ut wulh hayuqun, ni’ ‘u tst ‘uw’ yuw’en’ ‘ul’? stem tse’ kw’u [sla’thut tst]?After we eat, what do we do first? What will we do?
B3(7)hwtth’uxwiils ch p’e’, suw’ hay kwun’s hwtth’axwiils, sutst ’uw’ ’ixwut tthu lhuxunuptun.Wash the dishes and when washing the dishes are done, we will sweep the floor.
A4(8)ni’ yuhw tsun tl’uw’ tth’xwunup?I wonder, do I also wash the floor?
B4(9hee! tth’xwun’up ch p’e’ ’uw’ ni’uhw hay kw’us ’ixwuthut.Yes! You will also wash the floor after you sweep the floor.
A5(10)’oo ‘uy’. ni’ tsun tsta’mut? nem’ ’u tsun tl’uw’ tth’xwul’wut’um?Okay. Then what shall I do? Shall I also wash clothes?
B5(11)’aa, ni’ p’e’ ni’ kwunu stth’xwulwutum sun’iw’ ’u kwunu shts’ey’hwul’s. Oh yes, there’s some of my laundry clothes in my dryer.
(12)[nem’ ch kwu’elh ’utl’qt].[You will take them out .]
B6(13)ni’ ’u ch wulh thuy’e’lhum ’u tun’a netulh?Did you straighten /fix the bed this morning?
A6(14)’ah! ni’ nu smel’q.Oh! I forgot.
B7(15)nem’ ch p’e’ thuy’e’lhum ’un’suw’ q’put kwu ni’ slhelhuq’ ni’ ’u kwu tumuhw.. lhuxunuptun.You will go and fix the bed, and then gather whatever is on the ground…floor.
(16)’un’suw’ le’sh ’u kwu shni’s tse’.Then put them away where they belong.
A7(17)’ah! ’uy’, tun’a ’u uw’ wulh nilh ’ul’?Oh! OK, you mean right away?
B8(18)hee! ha’ ch ’uwu thuy’e’lhumuhw, ’i’ ’uw’ sht’ees tse’ ’ul’ ’u tun’a kweyul.Yes! If you do not make your bed, then that is how your bed will be all day.
A8(19)’o.Oh.
B9(20)[’usuw’] ’ixwuthut ’uw’ ni’uhw hwu sthuy’e’lh, le’sh ch kwun’ s’uli’tth’um’.When you have swept and fixed the bed, put the clothing away.
A9(21)’uwu niis quliima’ kwthu lhuxunuptun.The floor is not that dirty.
B10(22)nem’ ’u tsun kwu’elh lemut kwu ni’ ts’twa’ sht’es kwun’ shhw’a’mut?Shall I go and inspect how your bed(room) is?
A10(23)’uy’! nem’ ch p’e’ lemut ni’ ’uw’ wulh thuy’e’lh.OK! Go and see: the bed is already made.
B11(24)ni’ ’u ch hakwush kw’ stth’utth’ixw ’un’ thil’e’lhtun?Did you change the sheets – put on clean sheets?
A11(25)ni’. ni’ wulh siye’q. ni’ tsun ’uw’ulh ’iye’qt.Yes! I changed them.