Glossary to Nils-Aslak Valkeapää’s Poem No. 272 From The Sun, My Father
(numbers refer to the actual pages in printed version with 1 being the first page, etc.)
| Original Sámi |
English Translation |
| alla (5) |
high up |
| aláhallá (5) |
high up |
| áldobiellu (3) |
the bell of a reindeer cow who has had a cow that year |
| báddebahá (5) |
difficult to lead when tied |
| báraideame (2) |
standing out against the sky |
| bárusteame (2) |
undulating |
| beaiveluosttat (6) |
reindeer (pl.) with a streak of lighter hair along the side with thicker, more even hair than on the rest of its body, this streak only appearing in the reindeer’s third year |
| bealljebealli (5) |
half of an ear which is divided lengthwise or (as part of an earmark) a long cut from the tip and almost to the root of the ear |
| beavránit (4) |
to walk off on long legs |
| biddojuolgi (5) |
a reindeer with white on part(s) or all of its leg(s) |
| biegganjunit (6) |
wind nose (metaphor for reindeer: they follow of move against the wind) |
| biekka (6) |
wind |
| [biekka sula] |
having the character of wind |
| bielloáldu (3) |
a bell female reindeer that has a calf in the current year |
| biellobalvan (3) |
like a cloud of bells |
| bielloheargi (3) |
a bell draft reindeer |
| bielloráhta (6) |
the rather loud noise of bells |
| bielloskálla (6) |
bell noise |
| bihceguolgan (6) |
a reindeer with a coat that looks frosty because the tips of the hairs are of a lighter shade here and there |
| boazolihkku (6) |
reindeer luck |
| boazolohku (6) |
number of reindeer |
| boazorikkis (6) |
rich in reindeer |
| boazovázzi (6) |
a reindeer herder |
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| Original Sámi |
English Translation |
| cielahit (6) |
to cause to bark, bolt (food) |
| cirgut (4) |
to run quickly (of a large herd in close formation or over a hill) |
| časkilit (6) |
to set off to find reindeer and drive them back into the herd |
| čazat (4) |
mountain passes |
| čáhppesjuolgi (5) |
a light reindeer with black feet |
| čearru (5) |
rather flat, usually wide tract high up in the mountains, with little vegetation and long stretches of nothing but gravel and stones |
| čearru (5) |
rather flat, usually wide tract high up in the mountains, with little vegetation and long stretches of nothing but gravel and stones |
| čoarvemearran (3) |
like a sea of antlers |
| čoarvin (3) |
like horns |
| čohkkaoaivi (5) |
pointed head |
| čorut (6) |
moraines |
|
|
| čuodjá (5) |
rings |
| čuoskulit (5) |
try to gallop, gallop once, gallop several times |
| čuovvulit (5) |
begin to follow, follow a little while |
| dapmá (6) |
resounds |
| davásjohtin (6) |
migration toward the ocean (north or west) |
| davviguovllu (4) |
northerly direction |
| dávggáid (6) |
Big Dipper |
| [dávggáid vuolde] |
under the Big Dipper |
| dávgin (6) |
bow |
| dielkobahta (5) |
reindeer with (lighter or darker) spots on one or both legs |
| doali (6) |
a winter path covered by snow |
| doallá (6) |
stays on |
| doalvá (6) |
trots |
| doalvi (4) |
trotting |
| doalvvástit (4) |
to trot a little |
| dolvvásteame (4) |
being a steady companion on a trip back and forth |
| dolvvedit (4) |
to begin to trot |
| duhát (4) |
a thousand |
| [duhát eallun duottar eallá] |
like a herd of a thousand animals the tundra comes alive (the basis of life of the northern area) |
| duoddarat (2) |
high mountains, tundra |
| [duoddarat eallun bárusteame báraideame máraideame] |
the tundra, like a reindeer herd, undulates, stands out against the sky and flows so that it rumbles |
| duolbačoarvi (5) |
broad, flat antlers |
| duottar (4) |
tundra |
| duottarboazu (4) |
a tundra reindeer |
| duottarmiessin (6) |
a reindeer calf who has been in the mountains for the first part of its life |
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| Original Sámi |
English Translation |
| eaidánis (5) |
a reindeer that avoids others |
| eallá (4) |
animals (reindeer), wakes up |
| eallenvuođđu (4) |
bottom layer or layer underneath |
| ealli (5) |
animal (reindeer) |
| eallima (2) |
animals |
| eallogoahkka (6) |
a reindeer herder |
| ealloravda (6) |
edge of the herd |
| eallu (5) |
herd |
| eallun (2, 4) |
reindeer herd |
| eanan (6) |
land |
| gahčá (5) |
slips, falls |
| galáŋ (6) |
a sound |
| gaŋká (6) |
stretches the neck |
| gapmá (6) |
instinct |
| gáhttosealgin (5) |
a reindeer with some white on either side of the backbone |
| gálbbenjunni (5) |
a reindeer with white on its nose or a reindeer calf nose with a white stripe from between the antlers to the mouth |
| gállá (5) |
leaves, gets dark |
| geahčadit (6) |
to look at |
| geaiggobeallji (5) |
a reindeer with an earmark where the tip of the ear has not been cut away |
| geallu (5) |
beauty |
| gearddočoarvi (4) |
a reindeer with a small, extra antler |
| gearráda (5) |
shiny |
| [gearráda čearru skierreoaivin uvjačielgin gáhttosealgin] |
the tundra shines in the shape of the three reindeer types mentioned |
| geavlin (6) |
arc, ring |
| gierddočalbmi (4) |
a dark reindeer with a white ring around the eyes or the reverse |
| gihčá (5) |
rubbing, rubs |
| giljanas (6) |
shriek |
| giljádit (6) |
to howl once |
| gilkkan (5) |
small, poor bell |
| gilkkanas (5) |
ringing sound |
| gilkkas (5) |
ringing |
| gilljut (6) |
to set a dog on reindeer (when the dog is far away) |
| girjebahta (5) |
rump with spot(s) of a different color |
| girjjohallá (3) |
makes things variegated |
| goalkkanas (6) |
a single feeble stroke of a bell |
| goalkkas (6) |
feeble ringing |
| goalkká (6) |
rings feebly |
| goallá (5) |
a reindeer female that never gets antlers |
| goláŋ (6) |
a sound |
| goloŋ (6) |
a sound |
| gomogazzii (4) |
at full speed |
| goŋkalan (6) |
sound |
| goŋká (6) |
hollow sound |
| goŋkoloŋ (6) |
hollow sound |
| guŋká (1, 6) |
makes a sound |
| guođoheaddji (6) |
herder |
| guolbanat (3) |
heaths |
| [guolbanat čoarvin sugadeame sojadeame ruvgaleame] |
the heaths undulate like horns (of a row of reindeer running after each other) |
| gupmá (6) |
muffled sound coming from a great distance or reindeer moss |
| gurgalit (4) |
to walk in a row |
| guzatmuzet (5) |
a dark brownish reindeer with lighter hair tips here and there |
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| Original Sámi |
English Translation |
| hai (6) |
word used to drive the herd |
| háikit (6) |
to shout |
| heargebiellu (3) |
a draft reindeer bell |
| hillagabba (6) |
a snow white reindeer with reddish antlers |
| hohccalit (6) |
to set a dog on (used when the dog is near) |
| hoi (6) |
word used to drive the herd |
| huv (6) |
interjection in falsetto voice that reindeer driver uses to make the herd go faster |
| huvkit (6) |
animal not looking where it is going |
| iđat (6) |
a strange reindeer appearing in the herd |
| iđihit (6) |
to come into view |
| illun (5) |
joy |
| jahca (5) |
creaking sound like a heavily laden sleigh |
| japmá (6) |
loud noise |
| jazaidit (5) |
to creak like a heavily laden sleigh |
| jáfogáibi (5) |
“honey chin,” a reindeer with light hair from the corner of its mouth and down the chin |
| jállu (5) |
brave, bold |
| jiellat (5) |
to blow gently |
| johtola (2) |
area of migration |
| jollá (5) |
gnaws around a lump of reindeer moss |
| juhca (5) |
a rushing sound |
| jullá (6) |
crashes, booms |
| latnjagalban (6) |
the lowest part of an antler with skin covering peeling off in layers |
| latnjariessančoarvegeahči (5) |
a reindeer with loose fringe on the antler tips |
| láidesteaddji (1) |
a lead reindeer led by a herder to get others to follow |
| láđđečáhput (5) |
a glossy black reindeer, light under the belly |
| lávdá (5) |
spreads out widely |
| leaškkas (5) |
creaking noise of hoofs of reindeer when they walk |
| leavvedolgin (3) |
“lucky feather” = ability to find food |
| liidneoaivi (5) |
a reindeer with a white head, but not one whose body is spotted |
| loaškkas (5) |
straight ahead |
| lottegazza (5) |
bird claw |
| luksajohtin (6) |
southward migration in the autumn |
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| Original Sámi |
English Translation |
| manjuš (6) |
back side? |
| máraideame (2) |
flowing so that it rumbles |
| máttaboazu (4) |
southern reindeer |
| menodahkes (5) |
avoiding being held onto |
| [menodahkes, eaidánis ealli] |
a reindeer that avoids others and doesn’t like to be held onto |
| mieškkas (5) |
cracking |
| muorjegirjjat (6) |
berry-colored spot |
| nammaláhpat (5) |
a male reindeer that is seven years old, or older if an untamed reindeer |
| násttegállu (6) |
a reindeer with a blaze |
| njárgaboazu (4) |
a promontory reindeer |
| njárggahas (6) |
from a promontory |
| njolgá (6) |
jog-trots |
| njolggásteame (4) |
jog-trotting along |
| njolggástit (4) |
to jog-trot along a little |
| njolggedit (4) |
to begin to jog-trot along |
| njolggiidallá (6) |
jog-trots moderately |
| njolgi (4) |
a jog-trotting |
| njunuš (2) |
the vanguard (of a herd), the foremost ones in a row |
| njunušgoahkka (2) |
large knife at front |
| njunušmanni (2) |
walking at the front |
| oaivugas (2) |
leading |
| oaguhit (5) |
to hunt, pursue |
| ohcalit (6) |
to miss, seek |
| olla (5) |
onomatopoetic |
| oppasrievttat (6) |
a draft reindeer going straight even if there is no path |
| ovdamanni (2) |
walking ahead |
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| Original Sámi |
English Translation |
| ravdaboazu (6) |
a reindeer that keeps at the edge of the herd (especially females) |
| ravdaceaggá (6) |
defiance |
| ravdaguoran (6) |
a (often female) reindeer that usually follows a track |
| ravgat (5) |
to bolt suddenly to one side or (get frightened) and dash away |
| roahpebiellu (1) |
(a reindeer cow with) a bell having four sides and a coarse sound |
| [roahpebiellu guŋká] |
the four-sided bell makes a coarse sound |
| ruoškkas (5) |
a creaking of reindeer feet |
| ruoššajievja (5) |
a light brown reindeer with a relatively long, rough coat (of a different breed from the ordinary reindeer, descended from a marked female reindeer that came from Russia once upon a time; it has a larger belly and shorter legs than usual, much resembles a cow and is often very fat) |
| [ruovggadit čorut duottarmiessin bihceguolgan latnjagalban] |
the moraines grunt like tundra reindeer calves |
| ruvgaleame (3) |
dashing off in a long, thin line |
| sarvvačoarvin (4) |
a reindeer with flat antlers with most of the tines pointing forward |
| sevdnjesmuzečuoivvat (3) |
a reindeer with a yellowish gray color and dark under the belly |
| sietnjanjunni (4) |
reindeer with the hair nearest to its nostrils of a different color than you would expect in view of the color of the rest of its hair |
| silbasiidu (4) |
a reindeer with shiny, silvery hair on its sides |
| skavgalit (4) |
to chase away |
| skierreoaivin (5) |
shy reindeer head |
| skiŋká (6) |
a bell with a high sound tinkles |
| sojadeame (3) |
undulating |
| spirtamuzet (3) |
a coal-black reindeer |
| sugadeame (3) |
with a swaying gait |
| suolohas (6) |
from an island |
| sula (6) |
character |
| šávihit (4) |
to come rushing along with a lot of noise |
| šelgesčuoivvat (5) |
a reindeer with a layer of hair as shiny as that of a white reindeer |
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| Original Sámi |
English Translation |
| uđámat (5) |
an untamed reindeer |
| umáhttu (5) |
unskilled, inexperienced |
| uvjačielgin (5) |
a reindeer with fine, unusually long hair on its back |
| váccašit (5) |
to walk back and forth |
| váillahit (6) |
to miss |
| viggat (5) |
to want to go somewhere, strive |
| vuolde (6) |
under |
| vuovdeboazu (4) |
a forest reindeer |
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