George Gibbs

“ With the exception of Franchere, whose short vocabulary was published by Mr. Gallatin, and Mr. Hale, all the writers mentioned by Ludwig who have given specimens of the Chinook language, have presented it in its Jargon form, more or less mixed with the neighboring ones, and with corruptions of French and English words. Mr. Swan, among others, has been led into this error. The place of his residence, Shoalwater Bay, is common ground of the Chinook and Chihalis Indians, and the degraded remnants of the two tribes are closely intermarried, and use both languages almost indifferently. ”

“ The number of words constituting the Jargon proper has been variously stated. Many formerly employed have become in great measure obsolete, while others have been locally introduced. Thus, at the Dalles of the Columbia, various terms are common which would not be intelligible at Astoria or on Puget Sound. ”

“ With regard to the form into which this dictionary has been thrown, an explanation is necessary. The Jargon must in some degree be regarded as a written language, the orthography of which is English. In Mr. Hale's vocabulary alone has one more scientific been attempted, and of several other printed, and numerous manuscript dictionaries in circulation, M. Lionnet's alone, that I have met with, is according to the French. ”

“ In the nouns derived from the French, the definite article le, la, has almost in every instance been incorporated into the word, and the same has in one or two instances been prefixed to nouns not of French origin. Besides the words created by direct onomatopoeia, there are quite a number which are really Indian, but have their origin in the similarity of sound to sense.
Dr. Scouler's analogy between the Nootkan and "Columbian," or Chinook, was founded on the following words:
English. Tlaoquatch and Nutka. Columbian. plenty, *aya, *haya. no, *wik, *wake. water, tchaak, chuck. ”

“ Cree. (Anderson.) A bob-tailed horse.
This name, ludicrously enough, has been bestowed on the range of mountains separating Oregon and California, and also on a county in the latter State. The origin of this designation, as related to me by Mr. Anderson, was as follows. Mr. Archibald R. McLeod, a chief factor of the Hudson's Bay Company, in the year 1828, while crossing the mountains with a pack train, was over-taken by a snow storm, in which he lost most of his animals, including a noted bob-tailed race-horse. ”

“ Jargon. A stink or smell; to stink. An invented word.
Humm opootsh, a skunk.
~Hunl'-kih~, adj. Chinook, HUNLKEKH. Curled or curly; knotted; crooked.
~Huy-huy~, n., v. Canadian French, HUI-HUI. A bargain or exchange; to barter or trade. Ex. Huyhuy la sille, change the saddle; huyhuy tumtum, to change one's mind. Mr. Andersen says this is a cant word of the Canadians, signifying a hasty exchange. Its origin has been suggested in oui oui, yes yes.
~Hwah~, or ~Hwah-wa~, interj. Denotes surprise or admiration; also earnestness.
~Hy'-ak~, adv., also used as imperative. Chinook, AI-AK. Swift; fast ”

“ Chinook, MALAGH. Tinware; crockery; earthenware.
~Mal-i-éh, v. French, MARIER. To marry.
~Ma'-ma~, n. English, MAMMA. A mother.
~Mam'-ook~, v. a. Nootka, MAMUK. To make; to do; to work. It is the general active verb, and is used largely in combination with nouns and other verbs; as, mamook chahko, make to come, fetch; mamook kelipai, bring or send back; mamook isick, to paddle; mamook illahee, to dig.
~Man~, n. English, idem. A man; the male of any animal. Ex. Man moolock, a buck elk; tenas man, a young man or boy.
~Mél-a-kwa~, or ~Mál-a-kwa~, n. French, MARANGOUIN. (Anderson.) A mosquito. ”

“ Nootka, MAUITSH (Hale) ; Nittinat, MOITSH, a deer; Nootka, MOOWATSH, a bear (Jewitt) . A deer; venison. Frequently used to signify a wild animal; as, huloima mowitch, a strange or different kind of beast. The meaning given in Jewitt's book is probably a misprint. Like moolock, an elk, the word is found in the Koquilth of Humboldt Bay.
~Múck-a-muck~, n., v. Quære u. d. MAKAMAK (Hale) . To eat; to bite; food. Muckamuck chuck, &c., to drink water, or other liquid. Neither Chinook nor Chihalis. Mr. Anderson considers it an invented word.
~Mus'-ket~, n. English, idem. A gun or musket. ”

“ Cultus tilikum, common or insignificant persons; huloima tilikum, strangers; nika tilikum, my relations. It is also used to signify a tribe or band.
~Til'-i-kum-má-ma~, n. (Hale.) Chinook, TLKAMÁMA. A father. The word is not in use in Jargon.
~Till~, or ~Tull~, adj., n. English, TIRE. Tired; heavy; weight; a weight. Hyas till nika, I am very tired; kansih till okook, how much does that weigh; mamook till, to weigh.
~Tin'-tin~, n. By onoma. A bell; a musical instrument. Mamook tintin, to ring a bell. Among the Indians round the Hudson Bay Company's posts, the hours were thus known ”

“ Chinook, ITAKAMONAK. A hundred. It is, like ten, combined with the digits; as, icht, moxt, klone takamonak, one hundred, two hundred, three hundred, &c. Hyas takamonak, or tahtlelum takamonak, a thousand.
~Tuk'-wil-la~, or ~To'-kwil-la~, n. Kalapuya. The hazel-nut; nuts generally.
~Tum'-tum~, n. By onoma., from the pulsations of the heart. (Anderson.) The heart; the will; opinion. Mahsh tumtum, to give orders, mamook tumtum, to make up one's mind; mamook closhe tumtum, to make friends or peace; sick tumtum, grief; jealousy; moxt tumtum nika, I am undecided, i.e., I have two wills. ”

“ English, BROOM. A broom. Mamook bloom, to sweep.
~Boat~, n. English, idem. A boat, as distinguished from a canoe.
~Bos'-ton~, n., adj. An American; American. A name derived from the hailing-place of the first trading-ships to the Pacific. Boston illahie, the United States.
~Bur-dash~, n. Can. French, BERDACHE (Anderson) . An hermaphrodite. The reputation of hermaphroditism is not uncommon with Indians, and seems to attach to every malformation of the organs of generation. The word is of very limited use.
~C.~ ~Cal'-li-peen~, n. French, CARABINE. A rifle.
~Ca-nim~, n. Chinook, EKANIM. A canoe. ”

“ English, idem. Mamook wash, to wash.
~Waum~, adj. English, WARM. Hyas waum, hot; waum illahie, summer; mamook waum, to heat; waum-sick-cole-sick, fever and ague.
~Wau'-wau~, v., n. Nootka; Nittinat, WÁWE. To talk; speak; call; ask; tell; answer; talk or conversation. Cultus wauwau, idle talk; stuff; nonsense; hyas wauwau, to shout.
~Way'-hut~, ~Hweh'-kut~, or ~Wee'-hut~, n. Chinook, WÉHUT, a road;
Yakama, WIET, far. A road or trail. Tsik-tsik wayhut, a wagon-road.
About Vancouver, on the Columbia, it is pronounced HWÉHKUT; on Puget
Sound, WEEHUT.
~Weght~, conj. ”

“ Of local use; the Chinook ALKI being more common.
~Wind~, or ~Win~, n. English, idem. Wind. The winds are often known by the country from which they blow; as, for instance, on the Columbia, an easterly is a Walla-walla wind; at the mouth of the river, a southerly is a Tilamooks wind, &c. Breath. Ex. Halo wind, out of breath; dead.
Y. ~Yah'-hul~, n. Chinook, YAKHUL; EUEKHOL. A name. Not in general use.
~Yáh-ka~, or ~Yok'-ka~, pron. Chinook, YÁKA. He; his; him; she; it, &c.
~Yah'-kis-ilt'h~, adj. Chinook, YAKISILT'H. Sharp. Mr. Anderson gives as the original, "cutting." ”

“ The word is neither Chinook nor Chihalis. Dr. Scouler gives nannanitch as Nootka and Columbian. It is possibly tbe former.
~Nau'-its~, adv. Chihalis, NOITSH. Mr. Hale gives this for off shore; on the stream. It means, according to Mr. Anderson, the sea-beach, and is not properly a Jargon word.
~Na-wit'-ka~, adv. Chinook, idem; Klikatat and Yakama, N'WITKA. Yes; certainly; yes indeed; to be sure. Nawitka wake nika kumtuks, indeed I don't know. In answer to a negative question, many Indians use it as affirming the negative. Ex. Wake mika nanitsh? did you not see [it] ? ”

“ Mamook poo, to shoot; moxt poo, a double-barrelled gun; tohum poo, a six-shooter. Nisqually, OPOO, to break wind.
~Poo'-lie~, adj. French, POURRI. Rotten.
~Pot'-latch~, or ~Paht'-latsh~, n., v. Nootka, PAHCHILT (Jewitt) ; PACHAETL, or PACHATI (Cook) . A gift; to give. Cultus potlatch, a present or free gift.
~Pow'-itsh~, n. Chinook, PAUITSH. A crab-apple.
~Puk'-puk~, n. Probably an invented word. A blow with the fist; a fist-fight. Mamook pukpuk, to box; to fight with the fists; pukpuk solleks, to fight in anger.
~Puss'-puss~, n. English. A cat. On Puget Sound, pronounced pish-pish. ”

“ A. Mika tumtum, wherever you please; as you will. Ikta mika tumtum? what do you think? Halo tumtum, without a will of one's own, as a child. The heart seems to be generally regarded as the seat of the mind or will.
~Tum-wa'-ta~, n. TUM, by onoma.; English, WATER. A waterfall, cascade, or cataract. Lewis and Clarke give TIMM as used by the Indians above the Dalles of the Columbia in directing them to the falls.
~Tup'-shin~, or ~Tip'-sin~, v. Chihalis, TUPSHIN. A needle. Mamook tipsin, to sew; to mend; to patch.
~Túp-so~, or ~Tip'-so~, n. Chinook, TEPSO, a leaf. Grass; leaves, fringe; feathers ”

“ Nootka. The Scilla esculenta,—a bulbous root used for food by the Indians. Jewitt gives CHAMASS as the Nootka for fruit, also for sweet, or pleasant to the taste.
~Kám-ooks~, n. Chinook, KLKÁBOKES. A dog. Kahkwa kamooks, like a dog; beastly.
~Ka-mo'-suk~, n. Chinook, idem. Beads. Tyee kamosuk (chief beads) , the large blue glass beads.
~Kap-su-ál-la~. Quære u. d. To steal. Kapsualla klatawa, to steal away; kapsualla mamook, to do secretly.
~Kát-suk~, or ~Kót-suk~, n. Chinook, idem. The middle or centre of any thing.
~Kau'-py~, n. English. Coffee.
~Ka-wák~, v. Chihalis, KAUAK. To fly. ”

“ Of only local use, and not strictly Jargon.
~Taht'-le-lum~, or ~Tot'-le-lum~, adj. Chinook, TATLELUM. Ten. The combinations from this are simple. Moxt, klone, &c., tahtlelum, signifying twenty, thirty, &c.; tahtlelum pe icht, &c., eleven, twelve, &c.
~Tál-a-pus~, n. Chinook, ITALIPAS; Yakama, TELIPA. (Pandosy.) The coyote or prairie wolf. A sort of deity or supernatural being, prominent in Indian mythology. A sneak.
~Ta-máh-no-us~, n. Chinook, ITAMÁNAWAS. A sort of guardian or familiar spirit; magic; luck; fortune; any thing supernatural. One's particular forte is said to be his tamahnous. ”

“ French, PUER, to stink. Or from the sound often uttered expressive of disgust at a bad smell. A skunk.
~Poh~, v. Chinook, idem. By onoma. Mamook poh, to blow out or extinguish, as a candle.
~Po'-lak-lie~, n., adj. Chinook, POLAKLI. Night; darkness; dark. Tenas polaklie, evening; hyas polaklie, late at night; very dark; sit-kum polaklie, midnight (literally, the half night) .
~Po'-lal-lie~, n. Quære French, POUDRE. Gunpowder; dust; sand. Polallie illahie, sandy ground. The word is certainly neither Chinook nor Chihalis.
~Poo~, n. By onoma. (Hale) . The sound of a gun. ”

“ Chinook, TOWAKH. Bright; shining; light.
~Tsee~, adj. Chinook, idem. Sweet.
~Tsee'-pie~, v. Kalapuya. To miss a mark; to mistake one's road; to make a blunder in speaking; to err or blunder. Tseepie wayhut, to take the wrong road.
~Tshi'-ke~, adv. (Hale.) Quære u. d. Directly; soon. Not Jargon.
~Tshis~, adj. Chinook, idem. Cold. Not in common use.
~Tsi-át-ko~, n. Chihalis, Nisqually, &c., idem; Clatsop, ÉCHIATKU. A nocturnal demon, much feared by the Indians. The Skagits give this name to the "Couteaux," a tribe of Indians on Frazer River, of whom they stand in like awe. ”

“ Chinook (by onoma.) , HOKHHOKH. To cough.
~Hó-ku-melh~, v. Chihalis, idem. To gather; to glean, as grain. Of local use.
~Hóol-hool~, n. Chinook, KHOLKHOL; Klikatat. KHOILKHOIL. A mouse. Eyas hoolhool, a rat.
~House~, n. English. A house. Mahkook house, a store; Boston house, an American-built house, as distinguished from a lodge.
~Howh~, interj. HAUKH. Turn to; hurry.
~How'-kwutl~, adv. Chinook, HAUKATLH. An expression of inability. Ex.
Howkwutl nika klatawa? how could I go?
~Hul-lel'~, v., n. Chinook, idem. To shake. Used with the verb mamook, as, mamook hullel, it becomes active. ”

“ Pandosy gives SAPLIL as Yakama for bread; Lewis and Clarke write it CHAPELELL.
~Se-áh-host~, or ~Se-agh'-ost~, n. Chinook, SIÁKHOST, the face. The face; the eyes. Halo seahhost, blind; icht seahhost, one-eyed; lakit seahhost (four eyes) , or dolla seahhost, spectacles.
~Se-áh-po~, or ~Se-áh-pult~, ~n.~ French, CHAPEAU. A hat or cap.
Seahpult olillie, the raspberry.
~Shame~, or ~Shem~, n. English, idem. Shame. Halo shem mika? arn't you ashamed of yourself?
~Shán-tie~, v. French, CHANTER. To sing.
~She-lok'-um~, n. Chinook, TSHAILAKUMIT. (Anderson.) A looking-glass; glass. ”

“ Chinook, idem. To cut; hew; chop.
~Toh~, or ~Tooh~. By onoma. Mamook toh, to spit. A manufactured word.
~Tóke-tie~, adj. Kalapuya. Pretty. Not in common use.
~To'-lo~, v. Kalapuya. To earn; to win at a game; to gain. Kansih dolla nika tolo spose mamook? how many dollars will I earn if I work?
~To'-luks~, n. Clallam, TOYUK. The mussel. Used on Puget Sound only.
~To-mól-la~, adv. English, TO-MORROW. Ikt tomolla, or copet tomolla, the day after.
~Tot~, n. Chihalis, TOT, or TAT. An uncle.
~To'-to~, v. By onoma. Chinook, TOKH-TOKH. To shake; sift any thing; winnow. ”

“ Mamook tamahnous, to conjure; "make medecine;" masahchie tamahnous, witchcraft or necromancy. Mr. Andersen restricts the true meaning of the word to conjuring.
~Ta-mo'-litsh~, or ~Ta-mow'-litsh~, n. Chinook, TAMULITSH (Anderson) ; Yakama, TAMOLITSH (Pandosy) . A tub; barrel; bucket. Icht tamolitsb, a bushel measure.
~Tanse~, v., n. English, DANCE. To dance.
~T'chuk'-in~, or ~Tsugh'-ken~. See CHUCKIN.
~Tea~, n. English, idem. Tea.
~Te-áh-wit~, n. Chinook, TIÁWI; Clatsop, KLÁAWIT. The leg; the foot.
Klatawa teahwit, to go on foot; to walk; klook teahwit, lame. ”

“ French, LES ETRIERS. (Anderson.) Stirrups.
~Sit'-shum~, v. Chihalis, idem. To swim.
~Si'-wash~, n., adj. French, SAUVAGE. An Indian; Indian.
~Skin~, n. English, idem. Skin. Skin shoes, moccasins; stick skin, the bark of a tree.
~Skoo'-kum~, or ~Skoo-koom'~, n., adj. Chihalis, SKUKUM. A ghost; an evil spirit or demon; strong. Skookum tumtum, brave; skookum chuck, a rapid.
~Skwak'-wal~, n. Chinook, SKAKULH (Anderson) ; Clatsop, SKAKOLI. A lamprey eel. Of local use only.
~Skwis'-kwis~, n. Chinook, Cathlamet dialect. A squirrel. ”