Translation of HM Ball CJ letter

[Bruce, Colin]

I think that was Ross Clark's note on the Brunette River.  I missed it
entirely.  Fun translation BTW.

-----Original Message-----
From: Leanne Riding [mailto:riding at TIMETEMPLE.COM]
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2004 9:26 PM
To: CHINOOK at LISTSERV.LINGUISTLIST.ORG
Subject: Re: Translation of HM Ball CJ letter


Here was the first part. I added "and child", which I think I had left
out and should have put in. I also changed "do some hanky-panky" to
"make merry", after some thought. I added Colin Bruce's note of
"Brunette", that makes perfect sense to me.

"I'm worried sick. You haven't written me. Over three months, I don't
know if you have a roof over your head, if you're dead. I guess I don't
know if you have been sick, I'm getting angry to be honest. And now your
two boys say unkind childish words. Ballie is getting angry with you,
Mama. I feel winter will end soon in New West, and you sneak off with
your boyfriend and child, and seek his little Brunette River, make
merry, and drink Brandy and Soda. I'm worried sick. "

The second part, continuing along this same angry-style rendition...

"Always lots of pride now, and soon you'll turn to ice, and before long
all white men turn into an evil dog. My friend Elwyn wants a friendly
discussion with you and your man, and you speak likewise with your man
and child. Supposing you don't write me, honestly I'll get very angry,
and I'll forget you and not stay friends. Presently, I give my regards,
I remain your friend, ...Ball."


This was probably my first attempt at translating anything from the
Chinook Jargon. It's a little loosy-goosy, I know.

The details of the second part...

- Quanishum quinum pride,
- Always count [pride] ??? [Completely confused by this line: if
["Kwinnum, C. five." or "Kwunnum, S., counting. Mamook kwunnum, to
count." (Hale, 46)] I just took "pride now" literally.]

- now, pe wake syah mika
- now and soon you

- chaco all-the-same hyas long ice,
- become like very [icicle, thanks Dave. How about glacier? It's also
very long.]

- pe tenas lulee konaway
- and little long time every  (and shortly every) ["Long time" -- I used
"Laly" as in "lala, j. long time. Wake lala, not long." Other similar
words are "Lalah, C. to cheat, trick, joke with." "Leloo, F., wolf."
"Lolo, C., to carry, take." "Loloh, C., round, whole, complete." (Hale,
46) "La-lah, to cheat," "Lo-lo, to carry," "Lo-lo, round, whole"
(Blanchet, 19)]

- Boston man chaco all the same
- White man becomes like (white man becomes like)

- masatche kamucks
- evil dog. (evil dog). [This is a severe insult. Masatche by this time
meant 'evil', and to call someone a dog was very insulting. See also
Winthrop, after he felt cheated by Luwulloo - that'll go in my word
lookup tool soon enough]

- Nisika tilicum Elwyn tike mamook hyas closhe wawa copa mika
- My friend Elwyn like to make much good talk with you (My friend Elwin
wants a friendly conversation with you)

- and nika man, pe nika wawa all-the-same
- and you man, pe you talk same like

- copa mika man pe mika papoose. Spose mika halo
- in you man and you baby. Supposing you not

- mamook paper copa nika _delate_ nika _chaco_ hyhu
- "make paper" in me TRULY I BECOME very

- silex pe nika moroh mika pe halo midlight nisika tilicum
- angry and I [forget?] you and not remain my friend - ["forget" maybe
["mah-lie, to forget" (Blanchet, 19) ]]

- Alta nika wawa
- Now I say

- Kla-ha-yu tilicum nika midlight
regards, freind I remain.

- [...Ball]