This Dënesųłiné example was taken from an article in the Caribou News. It’s a translation of the Globe and Mail article, “Wollaston People Blame Mines for Endangering Wildlife, Other Impacts”. I have attempted a transcription into traditional syllabics (both F-C and E-A) and modern Sayisi Dene syllabics. The Roman version of the text is in the orthography I have seen used in Saskatchewan. In the NWT, the standard writing system differs in its treatment of e-vowels.
Several of the E-A /u/ vowel syllabics are not included as distinct characters in Unicode, therefore I have used the non-spacing dot accent to attempt to put the dot above the syllabic. Note that depending on the font you are using, the dot may instead be somewhere in the middle of the syllabic instead of on-top.
F-C Syllabics
ᕫᔆ ᕲᐁ ᐅᑊᐟᓯᐠ ᑌᓀ ᕫ ᒼᑲᑕᓀᕳ ᑌᓀ ᑕᑊ ᐁᐟᗯᑌ ᐟᗱ ᑕᑊᒼᐃ ᒼᕊᓯ ᐊᓯᐠᐁ ᐯᐢᕲᒼᕃ ᐊᑊ ᑕᓂᐠᒉᐣ ᖍ ᔭᕱ.
ᒼᑯ ᐯᕲᐠᕊᐁ, ᑲ ᕲᐁ ᕫ ᒼᑯᓇᑕᑊ ᐟᓭᐣ ᓂᒐ ᐃᑊᕃ, ᐟᘚᕀᕄᐅᐣ ᐊᑎ ᐅ ᒼᑯᐠᐅᑊᐠ ᐊᑌᔆᔪᐠ ᐅᑊᐟᓭᐣ ᕲᐠᕊᐠ ᓂᑕᕬ. ᐁᔆᕬ ᑐᑎ, ᐟᓴᐠᐟᓴᐠᓀ ᔦᐠᑕ ᒉᔦᐢᐥᐊ. ᓂ ᕬ ᖊᐢᐥᐬ,” ᐁᑊᓂᐠ, “ᐁᔨ ᓂ ᐅᑊᐟᓯᐠ ᐃᖌᐣ ᐟᗱ ᐟᕃᐢ ᐁᑊᑕᐠᓀᐠ ᕄᐠ ᐃ,” ᐁᑊᓂᐠ.
ᐁᔨᐠ ᐃᒼᕃᐢᑐᐠᓀᓇᐠ ᐟᓭᐣ ᓱᐠᕊᐠᓇᐠ ᑌᓀ ᕫᐠᔆ ᕲᐁ ᑫᑊ ᓇᑌᐥᐃ, ᕫ ᒼᑲᓄᕳ ᐅᑊᐟᓭᐣ ᕲᐠᓇᐠ ᐟᓭᐣ ᓱᕍᖊ ᑌᐟᗯᐣ ᐮᓂᔆᕳ ᓇᑕᑌ ᓯᐠ. ᐯᐁᑊᓂᐠ ᑫᑊᐟᗴᐠ ᑌ ᒼᑯᕊ ᐁᔦᙆ ᐯᐁᑊᕲᐠᕊᐁ ᐟᗱ ᐯᐁᑊᓀᓀ ᑫᑊ ᕫ ᒼᑲᑕᓄᕳ.
ᒼᑯᕬ ᐊᒼᕊᐠ ᐅᑊᐥᐊᘛᐠ ᕫ ᒼᑯᑕᓄᕳ ᐊᑊ ᓄᐠᑕᑊ ᓯᐠ. ᐁᔦᙆ ᕫᐠᔆ ᕲᐁ ᕳᐸᐠᖊ ᒼᑯᕄ, ᕫ ᕲ ᔭᖊ ᐅᑊᐟᓯᐠ ᕬ ᒼᐮᔆᔦ ᓯᐠ. ᔭᓇᒋ ᒼᕊᐠᓇᐠ ᓀᓀ ᑌ, ᐬᔆᑫᑊ ᕳᖊ ᓄᐠᔭᖊ ᕫ ᖍᐠ ᓇᐟᓭᑌ ᐊᑊ ᓯᐠ.
ᕫᐠᔆ ᕲᐁ ᑫᑊ ᐅᑊᐟᓯ ᐬᔆᐟᘕᘛᐠ ᕲᐠᕊᐁ ᐟᗱ, ᑕᑊᒼᐃ ᕳᐬᔆ ᑫᑊᓇᑕᑌᕀ ᑌᓀ ᐯᓂᑫᑊᐟᗴ ᓯᐠ ᐁᑊᓂᐠ, ᐟᘚᕀᕄᐅᐣ ᐊᑎᐥᐅ, “ᐊᑌᔆᔪᐠ ᑌᓀ ᐁᐟᗴᐠ ᓂ ᐅᑊᐟᓯᐠ ᕫ ᒼᑲᑕᓀᕳ ᐁᑊᑐᑌᔆᐥᐬ ᐃᑊᕃ ᓯᐠ,” ᐁᑊᓂᐠ. ᐁᑎᓂ ᕫ ᒼᑲᑕᓄᕳ ᐅᑊᐟᓯᐠ ᑕᑊᒼᐃ ᐁᐟᗯᑎ ᖍᐠ ᐬᔆᐟᘕᘛ ᒉᒼᕍ ᒼᕄᐠᓂ ᒼᕍᐠ ᐃᑊᕃ ᐃᑊᐟᗴ ᐊ. ᐟᗰᘚ ᒼᕄᐠᓂᐠ, ᒼᑯ ᑐᐠᐅᑊᐠ ᐟᗰᘚ ᑐᑎ. “ᓇᐠᖋᒋ ᐟᗱ, ᕬ ᕫᔆᐟᘕᘛ ᑐᑎ ᐊᑕᐟᗴ. ᕲᐁ ᐁᔨ ᕫ ᓇᐟᓭᙆ ᑌ ᒼᕃ ᕬ ᒼᕃᖍᐠᑌ ᐊᑊ,” ᐁᑊᓂᐠ. ᒼᑯ ᐁᔨ ᑕᑊᒼᐃ ᓂ ᐅᑊᐟᓯ ᕫ ᓇᔆᐟᓯ ᐊᑊ, ᐊᔆᑕᐠᓀ ᐯᖍᐠ ᔭᖋᐠᕱ ᐅ ᒼᐫ ᐢᓂᐠᐥᐅ ᕬ ᔭᓇᒉ ᐅᑊᐊᑊ ᕬ ᓂ ᐸᘛᐠ ᐊᑊ ᓭᐅᑊᐟᗴ, ᕫᐠᐢ ᕲᐁ ᑌᓀ ᐯᓂᑫᑊᓯ ᐃᑊᕃ ᓱᐠᓂ ᒼᑯᕊ.
E-A Syllabics
ᕫᐟ ᕥᐁ ᐅᘚ ᑌᓀ ᕫ ᑲᑕᓀᕦ ᑌᓀ ᕦ ᐁᗯᑌ ᗱ̇ ᕦᗁ ᒢᕊᓯ ᐊᓯᐁ ᐯᐢᕤᒼᕃ ᐊ ᑕᓂᒉᐣ ᗃ ᔭᕠ.
ᑯ ᐯᕥᕊ̇ᐁ, ᗃ ᕥᐁ ᕫ ᑯᓇᕦ ᘛᐣ ᓂᒐ ᐃᕃ, ᐨᘛᕀᕄᐅᐣ ᐊᕠ ᐆ ᑰᐆ ᐊᑌᐟᔪ! ᐅᘛᐣ ᕥᕊ̇ ᓂᑕᕬ. ᐁᐟᕬ ᑐᑎ ᘔᘔᓀ ᔦᐠᑕ ᒉᔦᐢᐊ. ᓂ ᕬ ᐊᑕᐟᑌᒢᐆ, “ᘔ, ᕥᐁ ᒼᕃᗃᓂᑌ ᓯ, ᑕᗀᕃᐟ ᕬ ᗀᐢᐃ,” ᐁᓂ, “ᐁᔦ ᓂ ᐅᘚ ᐃᑐᐣ ᗱ̇ ᖆᐢ ᐁᑕᓀ ᕄ ᐃ,” ᐁᓂ.
ᐁᔨ ᐃᒼᕃᐢᑐᓀᓇ ᘛᐣ ᓱᕊᓇ ᑌᓀ ᕫᐟ ᕥᐁ ᑫ ᓇᑌᐃ, ᕫ ᑲᓄᕦ ᐅᘛᐣ ᕤᓇ ᘛᐣ ᓱᕍᗀ ᑌᗯᐣ ᐊᓂᐟᕦ ᓇᑕᑌ ᓯ. ᐯᐁᓂ ᑫᗴ ᑌ ᑰᕊ̇ ᐁᔦᐡ ᐯᐁᕥᕊ̇ᐁ ᗱ̇ ᐯᐁᓀᓀ ᑫ ᕫ ᑲᑕᓄᕦ.
ᑰᕬ ᐊᒼᕊ ᐅᐊᓯ ᕫ ᑯᑕᓄᕦ ᐊ ᓅᕦ ᓯ. ᐁᔦᐡ ᕫᐟ ᕥᐁ ᕦᐸᗀ ᑰᕄ, ᕫ ᕥ ᔭᗀ ᐅᘚ ᕬ ᗃᐟᔦ ᓯ. ᔭᓇᒋ ᒼᕊᓇ ᓀᓀ ᑌ, ᐃᐟᑫ ᕦᗀ ᓅᔭᗀ ᕫ ᗃ ᓇᘛᑌ ᐊ ᓯ.
ᕫᐟ ᕥᐁ ᑫ ᐅᘚ ᐃᐟᐨᘕ̇ᓯ ᕥᕊ̇ᐁ ᗱ̇, ᕦᗁ ᕦᐱᐟ ᑫᓇᑕᑌᕀ ᑌᓀ ᐯᓂᑫᗴ ᓯ ᐁᓂ, ᐨᘛᕀᕄᐅᐣ ᐊᑎᐆ, “ᐊᑌᐟᔫ ᑌᓀ ᐁᗴ ᓂ ᐅᘚ ᕫ ᑲᑕᓀᕦ ᐁᑐᑌᐟᐃ ᐃᕃ ᓯ,” ᐁᓂ. ᐁᑎᓂ ᕫ ᑲᑕᓄᕦ ᐅᘚ ᕦᗁ ᐁᗯᑎ ᗃ ᐃᐟᐨᘕ̇ᓯ ᒉᒼᕍ ᒼᕄᓂ ᒼᕍ ᐃᕃ ᐃᗴ ᐊ. ᗰᓭ ᒼᕄᓂ, ᑰ ᑑᐆ ᗯᓭ ᑐᑕ. “ᓇᗁᒋ ᗱ̇, ᕬ ᕫᐟᐨᘕ̇ᓯ ᑐᑎ ᐊᑕᗴ. ᕥᐁ ᐁᔨ ᕫ ᓇᘛᐡ ᑌ ᒼᕊ̇ᐁ ᕬ ᒼᕃᗃᑌ ᐊ,” ᐁᓂ. ᑰ ᐁᔦ ᕦᗁ ᓂ ᐅᘚ ᕫ ᓇᐟᘚ ᐊ, ᐊᐟᑕᓀ ᐯᗃ ᔭᗁᕠ ᐆ ᗀ ᐢᓂᐆ ᕬ ᔭᓇᒉ ᐅᐊ ᕬ ᓂ ᐸᓯ ᐊ ᓭᐅᗴ. ᕫᐟ ᕥᐁ ᑌᓀ ᐯᓂᑫᓯ ᐃᕃ ᓲᓂ ᑰᕊ̇.
Roman Orthography
Tthɛ̨ł Túɛ́ Hots’į Dɛnɛ Tthe Kádánɛta Dɛnɛ́ T’á Ɛch’ɛrɛ chu T’ahhi Łosi ʔasįɛ Bɛstołé Ha Dánįdhɛn Ghą Yati.
Kú bɛtųluɛ́, Gah Túɛ́ tthe kónat’a ts’ɛ́n nidhá hílɛ, Dzeylion ʔadi ʔú kųhų́ ʔarɛlyų́ hots’ɛ́n tųlų níráhtthi. Ɛltth’i dódí, tsątsą́nɛ́ yɛk’dá thɛyɛ́sʔá. Níh tth’i háráldethʔú, “tsá, túɛ́ łɛghą́nįdɛ́ sí, dághɛlɛl tth’i ghɛsʔí,” hɛ́nį, “Ɛyi níh hots’į iron chu tłɛs hɛdą́nɛ̨́lį ʔí,” hɛ́nį.
Ɛyį iłésdǫnɛ́ną ts’ɛ́n sǫlǫ́ną dɛnɛ Tthɛ̨ł Túɛ́ k’ɛ nádéʔi, tthe kánota hots’ɛ́n tǫ́ną ts’ɛ́n solághɛ dɛchɛn ʔąniłta nárádé sį. Bɛhɛnį́ k’ɛ́ch’ą dɛ́ kúlú ɛyɛr bɛhɛtųluɛ́ chú bɛhɛnɛ́nɛ́ k’ɛ tthe kádánota.
Kútth’i ʔałǫ́ hoʔázį́ tthe kódánota ha nų́t’á sį. Ɛyɛr Tthɛ̨ł Túɛ́ tabą́ghɛ kúli, tthe tu yághɛ hots’į tth’i hhąlye sį. Yanadhi łǫ́ną nɛ́nɛ́ dɛ́, įłk’ɛ́ taghɛ nų́yághɛ tthe ghą náts’ɛdé ha sį.
Tthɛ̨ł Túɛ́ k’ɛ hots’í įłdzuzį tųluɛ́ chu, t’ahhi tabį́ł k’ɛnárádéi dɛnɛ́ bɛník’ɛ́ch’a sį hɛnį, Dzeylion adiʔú, “ʔarɛlyų́ dɛnɛ́ ɛją níh hots’į tthe kádánɛta hɛdórɛ́lʔį́ hílɛ sį,” hɛ́nį. Ɛdini tthe kádánota hots’į t’ahhi ɛch’ɛri ghą ʔįłdzuzi thɛła łį́ni łą hílɛ híjá ʔá. Chízɛ łįnį, kú dųhų́ chízɛ dódí. “Nąghídhi chu, tth’i tthełdzuzi dódí ʔarájá. Túɛ́ ɛyi tthé nátsɛr dɛ́ łuɛ tth’i łeghą́de ha,” hɛ́nį. Kú ɛyi t’ahhi níh hots’i tthe náltsí ha, ʔałdąnɛ́, beghą yaghįti ʔú hhɛ́ snįʔú tth’i yanadhé hoha tth’i níh bazį́ ha sɛhújá, Tthɛ̨ł Túɛ́ dɛnɛ bɛník’ɛ́sí hílɛ sų́ni kúlú.
Sayisi Orthography
ᕫ ᕤᐁ ᐅᐤᘚ ᑌᓀ ᕫ ᑲᑕᓀᕦ ᑌᓀ ᐨᕦ ᐁᗯᑌ ᗱ ᐨᕦᗁ ᕊᐤᓯ ᐊᓯᔦ ᐯᐢᕤᐤᕃ ᐊ ᑕᓂᒉᐣ ᗃ ᔭᕠ.
ᑯ ᐯᕤᕊᐁ, ᗃ ᕤᐁ ᕫ ᑯᐤᓇᕦ ᘛᐣ ᓂᒐ ᐃᕃ, ᘛᐩᕄᐅᐤᐣ ᐊᑎ ᐅ ᑯᐅ ᐊᑌᐟᔪ ᐅᐤᘛᐣ ᕤᕊ ᓂᑕᕬ. ᐁᐟᕬ ᑐᐤᑎ, ᘔᘔᓀ ᔦᐠᑕ ᒉᔦᓴ. ᓂ ᕬ ᐊᑕᐟᑌᒢᐅ, “ᘔ, ᕤᐁ ᕃᗃᓂᑌ ᓯ, ᑕᗀᕃᐟ ᕬ ᗀᐢᐃ,” ᐁᓂ, “ᐁᔨ ᓂ ᐅᐤᘚ ᐃᐡᐅᐣ ᗱ ᖆᐢ ᐁᑕᓀᕄ ᐃ,” ᐁᓂ.
ᐁᔨ ᐃᕃᐢᑐᐤᓀᓇ ᘛᐣ ᓱᐤᕊᐤᓇ ᑌᓀ ᕫᐟ ᕤᐁ ᑫ ᓇᑌᐃ, ᕫ ᑲᓄᐤᕦ ᐅᐤᘛᐣ ᕤᐤᓇ ᘛᐣ ᓱᐤᕍᗀ ᑌᗯᓇᓂᐟᕦ ᓇᑕᑌ ᓯ. ᐯᐁᓂ ᑫᗴ ᑌ ᑯᕊ ᐁᔦᐨ ᐯᐁᕤᕊᐁ ᗱ ᐯᐁᓀᓀ ᑫ ᕫ ᑲᑕᓄᐤᕦ.
ᑯᕬ ᐊᕊᐤ ᐅᐤᐊᓯ ᕫ ᑯᐤᑕᓄᐤᕦ ᐊ ᓄᕦ ᓯ. ᐁᔦᐨ ᕫᐟ ᕤᐁ ᕦᐸᗀ ᑯᕄ, ᕫ ᕤ ᔭᗀ ᐅᐤᘚ ᕬ ᗃᐟᔦ ᓯ. ᔭᓇᒋ ᕊᐤᓇ ᓀᓀ ᑌ, ᐃᐟᑫ ᕦᗀ ᓄᔭᗀ ᕫ ᗃ ᓇᘛᑌ ᐊ ᓯ.
ᕫᐟ ᕤᐁ ᑫ ᐅᐤᘚ ᐃᐟᘕᓯ ᕤᕊᐁ ᗱ, ᐨᕦᗁ ᕦᐱᐟ ᑫᓇᑌᑌᐩ ᑌᓀ ᐯᓂᑫᗴ ᓯ ᐁᓂ, ᘛᐩᕄᐅᐣ ᐊᑎᐅ, “ᐊᑌᐟᔪ ᑌᓀ ᐁᗴ ᓂ ᐅᐤᘚ ᕫ ᑲᑕᓀᕦ ᐁᑐᐤᑌᐟᐃ ᐃᕃ ᓯ,” ᐁᓂ. ᐁᑎᓂ ᕫ ᑲᑕᓄᐤᕦ ᐅᐤᘚ ᐨᕦᗁ ᐁᗯᑎ ᗃ ᐃᐟᘕᓯ ᒉᕍ ᕄᓂ ᕍ ᐃᕃ ᐃᗴ ᐊ. ᗰᓭ ᕄᓂ, ᑯ ᑐᐅ ᗰᓭ ᑐᐤᑎ. “ᓇᗁᒋ ᗱ, ᕬ ᕫᐟᘕᓯ ᑐᐤᑎ ᐊᑕᗴ. ᕤᐁ ᐁᔨ ᕫ ᓇᘛᐨ ᑌ ᕊᐁ ᕬ ᕃᗃᑌ ᐊ,” ᐁᓂ. ᑯ ᐁᔨ ᐨᕦᗁ ᓂ ᐅᐤᘚ ᕫ ᓇᐟᘚ ᐊ, ᐊᐟᑕᓀ, ᐯᗃ ᔭᗁᕠ ᐅ ᗀ ᐢᓂᐅ ᕬ ᔭᓇᒉ ᐅᐤᐊ ᕬ ᓂ ᐸᓯ ᐊ ᓭᐅᗴ, ᕫᐟ ᕤᐁ ᑌᓀ ᐯᓂᑫᓯ ᐃᕃ ᓱᓂ ᑯᕊ.
