About BC Books Online
BC Books Online was created for anyone interested in BC-published books, and with librarians especially in mind. We'd like to make it easy for library staff to learn about books from BC publishers - both new releases and backlist titles - so you can inform your patrons and keep your collections up to date.
Our site features print books and ebooks - both new releases and backlist titles - all of which are available to order through regular trade channels. Browse our subject categories to find books of interest or create and export lists by category to cross-reference with your library's current collection.
A quick tip: When reviewing the "Browse by Category" listings, please note that these are based on standardized BISAC Subject Codes supplied by the books' publishers. You will find additional selections, grouped by theme or region, in our "BC Reading Lists."
Description
Rich in cultural and linguistic information, the traditional stories of the Coast Salish contain the keys to cultural revitalization. This book presents eighteen stories in Snohomish, a dialect of Lushootseed, the language of the Indigenous peoples who live in the Puget Sound basin, as told by the last generation to learn the language as its mother tongue. Many of these stories – or syeyehub – were recorded decades ago, but few were transcribed, and even fewer analyzed. Deep understanding of the structure and logic of these texts has eluded linguists. This landmark study provides this analysis, helping to ensure that the language will live on for future generations.
Contributor Notes
David Beck is a professor of linguistics at the University of Alberta. Thom Hess was a professor of linguistics at the University of Victoria.
Editorial Review
As excellent examples of a specifically linguistic form of textual presentation, these volumes definitely achieve what they have set out to do. As such, they are not books that one would pick up simply to read the stories. Nevertheless, it is possible to discern that the stories are rich in teachings, [and] that they are beautifully told …
— BC Studies
