On the authority of his buddy and fellow “Stevens Treaties” translator Benjamin Franklin Shaw, George Gibbs tells us a word si′-pah ‘straight (like a ramrod)’.

Here’s another taste of what we can learn from the Lane Community College learners of Chinuk Wawa…

From the “Small World” Dept.!

Here’s a marvelous discovery…

Here’s another kind of thing we don’t do in Chinook Jargon, so pay attention and learn to talk fluently…

Hayu masi to Alex Code for reminding me of this striking episode in the Kamloops Wawa newspaper!

Chinuk Wawa has played an important role the “exploration” of the Pacific Northwest by Settlers.

Reports of the death of mamuk were greatly exaggerated!

Naika wawa mirsi kopa Alex Code, for a splendid little discovery.

Have I never before pointed out the possibility that Chinuk Wawa’s mamuk- verb inflection (which is munk- in the southern dialect — I’ve usually called it the “Causative”– might be due to to Métis/Canadian French… Continue reading →