Moose

Moose in general are called duni or khuda. The bull moose (the male) is called jeyo. The cow (the female) is called duni'at or khudats'e.

A moose calf is called tsiye, a term specific to this dialect: in most dialects moose calves are called duniyaz. When a calf is weaned and is sent off on its own by its mother, when it is about two years old, it is called ch'abedunis̲choot. When a female calf becomes sexually mature, it is called chanjoo. A female pregnant for the first time is called chanjooyudutse.

A dry cow moose (one that has no milk) is called dets'it-i, dets'it, jets'it, or jeduts'it. A cow that is single but not dry is duts'e.

A rare albino moose is called dunibai.

Two aspects of the moose's anatomy are distinctive and call for special words. The first is the `goatee” or “dewlap”, the folds of flesh that hang below the neck, typically found on both sexes. This is known as its -chul. It also has a “nickname”: duch'ukw yenuwhulyeh-i, “the thing that porcupines play with”. The other is the antler velvet, which is known as 'udez̲us̲.

Moose tracks are called dunik'oh.




Essay Listcopy url to clipboard