Maybe it’s a worldwide tendency, like how words for ‘mother’ often have “M” in them…but Chinuk Wawa’s interjection ná ‘here; take this’ etc. is an Aboriginal word from the Vancouver Island, Canada, area.
A new etymological discovery:
The other day, I mentioned some 1890’s quoted Chinuk Wawa:
With the confusing punctuation that typified Chinuk Wawa in newspapers…
Tinker to Evers…and back to Tinker?! Reborrowing words after your language gave them away? It happens. “Long time no see.” “Can do.” “Pidgin.”
I’m mostly just transcribing the Chinuk Wawa sections from this folksy parody…
The following is an argument I wrote up as a grad student, a few years back. It’s keenly relevant now, eh?
Mourning Dove (Christine Quintasket, Humishuma) is well remembered for her telling of traditional Okanagan “Coyote Stories“.
. ..and taking excellent photos and detailed notes.
This was already an old chestnut by 1870!
