-------------------- Shing -- Summer ----------------------

Shing -- Summer
Shing-hit -- Summertime (lit. 'Summer - when')
Ghinshiing', Ghinshii' -- Summer (lit. 'it has become Summer')

Pronunciation:
  Shing: Like "SHUNG" (Listen)
  Shing-hit: Like "SHUNG - hut" (Listen)
  Ghinshiing', Ghinshii': Like "ghun - SHIING'" (Listen) or Like "ghun - SHII'" (Listen)

Etymology:
  Shing is from the general Athabaskan word for Summer, and is very similar to words for Summer in most other Athabaskan languages.
  -hit is a suffix meaning "when," "at the time." Thus, Shing-hit means "when it is summer."
  Ghinshiing' is a verb form in the Transitional form ("become") and the Perfective aspect (completed action). Thus, Ghinshiing' means "it has become summer."

Culture:

  Shing for the Naahneesh (Cahto) begins during or right after the month of Naaghitlhit ("Burning Around," June/July) and lasts the period of three months till the beginning of Laashii'lhgaitc ("Buckeyes White," September/October).

  During Shing the Naahneesh hunt, fish, and go to the coast to gather marine products such as mussels, kelp, purple laver seaweed, clams, saltwater fish, and sea anemones.

  Traditionally the Cahto, like many California peoples, do not seem to have given names to the months in the Summer, only those in the Fall, Winter, and Spring.

Related Languages:

  Nongatl: Shiing, Konseelh (lit. "an area/weather is hot")
  Hupa: xonsiL (lit. "an area/weather is hot")

-------------------------
Sally Anderson
sally@turtlenodes.com
Cahto Language Home Page: http://www.turtlenodes.com/calath/caindex.html