1940: The yacht “All Wright”
A joke explained…
(Image credit: Facebook)
…is still worth knowing about, when it involves Chinuk Wawa.
Guest
One of several new Seattle sailing yachts to bear Chinook Indian names, the Nawitka visited Tacoma on her maiden voyage this week. She’s a spanking, glittering, 36-foot cutter. She was the object of much admiration at the T.Y.C. moorage, where owner Frank Wright patiently explained the subtlety of the name: Nawitka means “All Right,” and his name’s Wright, and she’s all his, etc.
— from the Tacoma (WA) Times of May 24, 1940, page 3, column 2
By 1940, it was rare to see any Chinook Jargon in your local newspaper.
And it usually wasn’t from anyone actually speaking the language.
Instead, you’d see lots of boats named with a word or two of it.
You still see some at PNW marinas…
