Sign component in Jargon [fwd from K. Carlson]

[David D. Robertson]

Hi David,

I won't presume to translate it myself, but in terms of context, the
quote is actually from the Vancouver Mayor's office, and was read to a
huge crowd of Aboriginal people at the CPR train station in Vancouver
the morning Chiefs Capilano and Isipaymilt departed on their delegation
to London.  Mayor Bushcombe was scheduled to "help officiate" at the
departure ceremony, but in the end sent the lowly City Comptroller in
his stead.  The Comptroller read the prepared statement on Buschcombe's
behalf.  The Chinook text originally appeared in the the Vancouver
World newspaper and was then later picked up by the Toronto Globe.

According to the Vancouver World, the chinook could be translated as
"Mayor Bushcombe's heart was grieved because he could not be on hand to
bid his Siwash friends goodbye.  He wished them a pleasant trip and a
safe return in the big canoe to their own home and hoped the king would
grant their wishes."

I'm certainly not qualified as a translator, but I'd say the
newspaper's interpretation seems to lack something, no?  looking
forward to seeing how trained linguists will translate the mayor's
chinook message.

Regards
Keith


On Wednesday, December 10, 2003, at 08:10 PM, David D. Robertson wrote:

> "Mayor Buscombe hiyu sic tum tum halo chaco wawa klahowya yaka Siwash
> tillicum.  Yaka wawa nika wawa mike tighee.  King Edward potlatch
> konaway
> icta mika.  Tighee yaka wawa klahowya, klahowya.  Kilapi tenas sun kopa
> canim kopa mitlit illahee."
>
> This is from the front page of the Toronto (Ontario) _Globe [and
> Mail]_,
> Monday, July 23, 1906.
>
> Does anyone care to venture a translation of the above?  You'd probably
> have to watch out for stray punctuation.
>
> --Dave R.
>