Ḵ'oomtk

ḵ'oomtk

ḵ'oomtk [ḵ'oomtk]

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Meaning

ḵ'oomtk means **to wish**, **to hope**, or **to desire**.

It expresses an inward orientation toward a future outcome — something not yet realized, but held with intention.

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Grammatical Information

• Part of speech: Verb
• Verb types:
  • Transitive verb – *to wish; to hope*
  • Intransitive verb – *to desire*

• Derivative form:
  • ḵ'oom – wish
  • -tk – verbal suffix

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Example Sentence

Ḵ'oomtga g̱oodu dm xstaa nts'abm.

• I hope our team wins.*

(Audio: koomtk-dl-hb-01.mp3)

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Related Forms

• g̱a̱xg̱oomtk – wishes, desires (plural form)

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Semantic Domain

• Hope
• Desire
• Want
• Feelings and emotions

(Thesaurus categories: 3.2.7.1 Hope, 3.3 Want, Ts-I2 Feelings & Emotions)

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Cultural / Conceptual Notes

In Sm’algyax, **ḵ'oomtk** reflects more than casual wanting. It carries a sense of **intentional holding** — a hope that exists without force or entitlement.

It does not command the future; it acknowledges uncertainty while remaining oriented toward possibility.

This aligns with Ts’msyen values of:

• restraint
• humility
• patience
• respect for outcomes not fully within one’s control

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Sources

• Dunn, *Practical Dictionary of the Tsimshian Language*, entry 443
• Dunn, *Practical Dictionary of the Tsimshian Language*, entry 937
• Draft Dictionary entry