Ø “Silent IT” goes back to very early Chinuk Wawa
We are extremely fortunate that some of the very first stuff written down in Chinook Jargon was full sentences; there are things in this language that are hard to spot otherwise.
Something that is very tough indeed to detect without having several (other) words around for context is “silent IT”, which I like to notate as Ø.
The original silent “It” girl! (Image credit: Youtube)
Yes, ironically, by writing down so darn many words, Gabriel Franchère and Alexander Ross also managed to write sort of a non-word!
Here’s one example each from Mr F and Mr R, two employees of the Pacific Fur Company at the new Fort Astoria in the early 1810’s…
Franchère: < Patlatch nain maika? > veux-tu me la donner? (‘Do you [sg] want to give it to me?’), in modern spelling Palach Ø na mayka?
Ross: < Eskam. > ‘Take it’, in modern spelling Iskum Ø.
These and similar cases of an apparent null inanimate/nonspecific 3rd person singular object suggest that this silent feature of CJ, long-overlooked till I published an article on it in 2007, existed from the earliest days.
At least in ditransitives!
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?
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