Category Archive: Uncategorized

“The New El Dorado, or, British Columbia”

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Here’s a fortuitously — even questionably — timed curiosity for you: “The New El Dorado, or, British Columbia” by Kinahan Cornwallis (London: Thomas Cautley Newby, 1858).

Istahibs Bill Has a Potlatch

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In the post-frontier era on south Puget Sound, the local news reporter and his readers needed a Chinuk Wawa translator.

The Boston Alaskan

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Quite an odd place to track down some Chinuk Wawa: a boosteristic magazine titled the “Boston Alaskan: Published in the Interests of Alaska” (edited by L.M. Norton).

How Indians Get Their Dye

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From a Clayoquot (Nuuchahnulth) man selling Indian handicrafts with his wife in Seattle:

Half and Half (Pilton 2)

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Is “A.” for “Archibald“? 

Pilton’s doggerel (1 of 2)

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A classic in English forms the sourdough starter for half-Jargon doggerel…

lamatsin from Mississippi Valley French

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lamatsin ‘medicine’ obviously comes to Chinuk Wawa from French la médecine…

Chuck! Chuck! Keequilly!

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Also for the “fictional Chinuk Wawa” file…

The seasick & the P.O.W.

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It’s a twofer today!

“Piss plant”, a Canadianism for an introduced species

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I amused my daughter by pointing out the absurdity of telling Google to “translate dandelion into French” 🙂