What’s so historic about page 85 of “Account book, Kamloops, dated June 18, 1887 – October 21, 1889. – Livre de comptes, Kamloops, daté du 18 juin 1887 au 21 octobre 1889.”?
Well, this may be the earliest known writing of a (Northern) Chinook Jargon word in the Duployé shorthand.
It’s dated 3 years before the Chinook-Peipa literacy was launched.
From Father JMR Le Jeune’s Kamloops account book:
The above image is thanks to the National Centre for Truth & Reconciliation online archives website
Memor. Francis Spuzz.
“Memorandum: Francis of Spuzzum”
1° A pris* le tamanwas pour sa figure.
“1st: Called the medicine man for his face.”
2º A ??? 240 dollars avec les sauvages à propos de son père mort
“2nd: ??? $240 with the Native people in regard to his dead father”
3º A bu terriblement depuis un an.
“3rd: Has been drinking awfully for the last year.”Captain Coldw. Memor.
“Captain of Coldwater, Memorandum:”
A pris le tamanwas, sa femme aussi pour le premier enfant
“Called the medicine man, his wife too, for the first child”
Doivent jeûner 3 jours chacun.
“Need to fast for 3 days each.”
Tamanwas is the word you know as t’əmánəwas if you’re versed in the Southern Dialect.
The hat tip here goes to reader Alex Code.
What will I be thanking you for? Maybe you’ll figure out that one mysterious French shorthand verb…
𛰅𛱁𛰃𛱂 𛰙𛱁𛱆𛰅𛱁 𛰃𛱄𛰙𛰃𛱄𛰙? qʰáta mayka tə́mtəm? kata maika tumtum? Qu’en penses-tu? What do you think?
And can you say it in Chinuk Wawa?
