Bella Coola Restaurant

[jeffkopp at att.net]

Hi.  Just me, the Jargon dilettante and Web booster.  I am delighted to =
see
the Jargon list thriving, though I find its level of erudition a bit
intimidating.  But I do have another off-the-wall potential allusion to
native language as seen in local signage to contribute.

I was interested to see one of the trendy new restaurants which are
sprouting up around Portland's Westmoreland district lately is named =
"Bella
Coola."  This initially looked Italian to me, but I quickly realized =
(from
my readings about the Jargon; I think in one of Mike's posts) that it is
the name of a Northwest tribe and also a river. =20

I didn't think that in itself was worth bringing up, but last night a
waitress across the street also told me the name gets some smirks because
it is also contemporary (Mexican) Spanish slang for "nice ass."  Or so =
she
had heard.  So now I wonder if there is a tale here, in either the origin
of the place name or this apocryphal reported slang usage.

Regards,

Jeff