Appendix J: Klallam Kin Terms
Preceding Generations
| English | Klallam | |
| ancestor | sčiʔúʔis, čiʔáŋən | |
| elder | sʔəsʔáyəxʷ, sčəyús, sxʷskʷáʔ | |
| great-great-great-grandparent | c̓ə́ɬp̓iyaʔqʷ | |
| great-great-grandparent | háʔkʷiyaʔqʷ | |
| great-grandparent | č̓áʔmaʔqʷ | |
| grandfather, grandparent | síyaʔ | |
| grandmother, grandparent | sséʔyaʔ | |
| aunt, uncle | cáčc, čáčc | |
| aunt or uncle after parent’s death | sxʷsqəsaʔčə́yəɬ | |
| parents | ʔiyáʔəŋ, ʔiyáy̓əŋ | |
| parent, head of household | céʔct | |
| father | cə́t | |
| mother | tán | |
| step-parent | sxʷsʔúk̓ʷɬ | |
| parents-in-law | ʔiy̓ə́y̓əŋ | |
| parent-, aunt-, uncle-in-law | siyáʔiɬ | |
| parent’s sibling’s spouse, aunt/uncle-in-law | sxʷʔiyáy̓əŋ | |
| parent of a deceased husband or wife | sk̓ʷúwʔis |
1. To distinguish between great-grandfather and great-grandmother, use the feminine article for great-grandmother. The same is true for all of the family terms that are not specified for gender, like the word for aunt/uncle.
2. There are no words for relatives beyond great-great-great-grandparent. Traditionally if two people share a c̓ə́ɬp̓iyaʔqʷ, they are too closely related to marry. If two people are related beyond c̓ə́ɬp̓iyaʔqʷ —in English that would be fifth cousins or greater—they may marry.
3. The word for grandmother is the ‘actual’ form of the word for grandfather. For some speakers either síyaʔ or sséʔyaʔ can also refer to either ‘grandfather’ or ‘grandmother.’
4. The word sxʷskʷáʔ is a term of address to an elder that shows deep respect and love.
Current Generation
| English | Klallam | |
| cousin, relative, friend | sčáʔčaʔ | |
| any relative | q̓ʷaʔúnəq | |
| co-villager, co-tribal member | k̓ʷɬʔəxʷíyŋxʷ, sxʷskʷáwaʔ | |
| any relative about the same age as oneself | ƛ̓íƛ̓q | |
| spouse, partner | sq̓ʷúʔšən | |
| husband, man | swə́y̓qaʔ | |
| wife, woman | sɬániʔ | |
| married couple | taʔyús | |
| sibling, cousin | sʔúq̓ʷaʔ | |
| sibling or cousin of opposite sex | ʔáyəs | |
| older sibling, child of parent’s older sibling | sxʷtúnəq, sxʷtáwnq | |
| adult younger sibling, child of parent’s younger sibling | saʔə́y̓čən̓ | |
| child younger sibling, child of parent’s younger sibling | saʔčúʔiɬ | |
| oldest of a group of siblings | yúƛ̓ | |
| youngest sibling | ʔuʔúy̓č | |
| half sibling | snəč̓íwəɬ | |
| step sibling | č̓ə́nkʷs | |
| sibling-in-law, spouse’s brother, sister, or cousin | sxʷʔáyəs | |
| sibling-in-law of opposite sex | sŋátxʷən | |
| spouse of one’s sibling-in-law | snəč̓íynəq | |
| parent of son/daughter-in-law | sk̓ʷúʔis | |
| spouse of deceased sibling | č̓áyʔə | |
| former in-law (through death or divorce) | smáyəcən |
1. Most of these normally have possessive prefixes or suffixes on them when they are used. Note that swə́y̓qaʔ means ‘man’ but nəswə́y̓qaʔ means ‘my husband, ’ and sɬániʔ is ‘woman’ and nəsɬániʔ is ‘my wife.’
2. Traditionally words for brother/sister did not distinguish between the sexes. So, for example, sxʷtúnəq could refer to an older brother or an older sister.
3. Under the influence of English, the terms for siblings have shifted for some younger elders to distinguish brother and sister. In cases where this shift has happened, elders disagree as to whether the a word means ‘brother’ or ‘sister.’ For example, some elders feel sʔúq̓ʷaʔ refers to ‘brother,’ and others think it is ‘sister.’ Some feel that saʔə́y̓čən̓ must mean ‘younger brother,’ while others insist it could be either ‘younger sister’ or ‘younger brother.’ The table shows only the older, traditional system.
4. There are two words for younger brother or sister. One refers to the sibling as a child, saʔčúʔiɬ, and the other, saʔə́y̓čən̓, is used when the sibling is grown up.
5. The word sŋátxʷən refers to a man’s sister-in-law or a woman’s brother-in-law.
6. When your spouse dies, his or her relatives are your smáyəcən and you are their smáyəcən.
7. The word ʔáyəs means ‘brother’ to a woman and ‘sister’ to a man. For some of the younger elders the word has come to mean only ‘sister.’
8. There is an infrequently used suffix ckʷ‑ meaning ‘spouse of.’ It attaches to a personal name and adds the meaning ‘husband of’ or ‘wife of.’ For example, ckʷMartha means ‘Martha’s husband,’ and ckʷLouie means ‘Louie’s wife.’ See the Klallam Dictionary for a few other examples.
Younger Generations
| English | Klallam | |
| son, daughter | ŋə́naʔ | |
| baby son or daughter | ŋaʔnaʔ, ŋaʔŋáʔŋaʔ, ŋaʔŋéʔŋənaʔ | |
| oldest son or daughter | yúƛ̓ | |
| youngest son or daughter | ʔuʔúy̓č | |
| stepson or stepdaughter | sŋənáʔəŋ | |
| son-in-law, daughter-in-law | sčutáy̓əɬ | |
| nephew, niece | stíkʷən | |
| nephew or niece after sibling’s death | sqəsaʔčáyɬ | |
| nephew-in-law, niece-in-law | sxʷstíkʷən | |
| grandchild-in-law | sxʷʔíŋəc | |
| grandchild | ʔíŋəc | |
| great-grandchild | č̓áʔmaʔqʷ | |
| great-great-grandchild | háʔkʷiyaʔqʷ | |
| great-great-great-grandchild | c̓ə́ɬp̓iyaʔqʷ | |
| descendants | sɬkʷsə́wəs |
Notes on younger generation terms.
1. To distinguish between son and daughter, you must use the feminine article with ŋə́naʔ for ‘daughter.’
2. There is a rare prefix tənə‑ that means ‘child of,’ as in tənəMatha ‘Martha’s child.’
3. The words for great-grandparent, great-great-grandparent, and great- great-great-grandparent are reciprocal. This means that words for great-grandchild, great-great-grandchild, and great-great-great-grandchild are the same.
4. Notice that yúƛ̓ means ‘oldest son or daughter’ and also ‘oldest brother or sister,’ and ʔaʔúyč means ‘youngest son or daughter’ and also ‘youngest brother or sister.’
5. The word for descendants, sɬkʷsə́wəs literally means ‘those that are behind us.’ From the Klallam point of view, we are all moving forward into history. We are the leaders with the future coming after us, following behind.