Glynn-Ward on BC Indian English & CJ

[terry glavin]

nb.

 1) rancheree is from "rancherie," or encampment, and it shows up as far
south as california.

2) "grease trail" is from the trading trails for "oolichan grease," the
rendered oil of those populations of the osmeridae family of fishes, known
as oolichan in b.c. (i.e. eulachon, huilickan, sweewa, chucka) and "columbia
river smelts" down south. oolichan oil was (is) a luxury item on the coast
(up to $200/gallon) and a vital component in the diets of interior peoples
who relied heavily on dried fish and game over the winter months. alexander
mackenzie made his way to the coast in 1793, following "grease trails" -
well-traveled trails used by coastal oolichan-grease traders.


tg.
-----Original Message-----
From: David Robertson <drobert at TINCAN.TINCAN.ORG>
To: <CHINOOK at LINGUIST.LDC.UPENN.EDU>
Date: 22 January 1999 21:43
Subject: Glynn-Ward on BC Indian English & CJ


>Hello, Klahowyam,
>
>Glynn-Ward, H.  "The glamour of British Columbia."  New York:  Century,
>1926.
>
>* page 37:  '..."Johnny the Baptist", an Indian from the rancheree ten
>miles off...'
>
>* page 148:  '[Chief Wemun-Osak of Blackwater Lake area was] specially
>dressed for the occasion in a rain-coat with a blue Masonic riboon over it
>and a tall hat, that he found Heaven knows where, with a crown painted on
>the front of it, "all same King George".'
>
>* page 149:  '[Two Indians from the "Sicanee" country] knew only two or
>three words, picked up from the fur-traders, that were comprehensible to
>her, and nothing of the Chinook lingo known to their brothers farther
>south...'
>
>* page 156:  'He ran there to see what it was, only to run away again
>still quicker and waken them all with a shout:  "Hyu skookum bear eat up
>alla bacon!"'
>
>Notes:  I'm beginning to wonder if there was a definite early stage of
>"Red English" in BC, as elsewhere, which was a sort of pidgin.  This is a
>very intriguing notion in the light of the presence of Chinook Jargon in
>this region.  The chief's phrasing on page 148 is essentially identical to
>the pigin Englishes of the Pacific Ocean, and you students of pidgins and
>creoles might be interested in pursuing this matter farther.  (Is that a
>note to myself or what?)
>
>Also, note the consistent testimony of northern BC, Yukon and
>Alaska witnesses, to the effect that Chinook Jargon was not as well known
>in those regions.  It also looks as though there may have been a distinct
>and perhaps simplified variety of CJ in the north, perhaps containing
>additional vocabulary items coming from local sources, e.g.
>"hootch(enoo)".
>
>Finally, I can't help but wonder if there were several distinctively
>"Indian English" words in BC around the turn of the century.  "Rancheree"
>is one word I suspect of being in that set.  "Grease trail" might well be
>another item of this description; and a possible calque from CJ and/or the
>indigenous languages to boot.
>
>More soon, if you can stand it!
>
>Best wishes from Dave
> *VISIT the archives of the CHINOOK jargon and the SALISHAN & neighboring*
>     <=== languages lists, on the Web! ===>
>    http://listserv.linguistlist.org/archives/salishan.html
>    http://listserv.linguistlist.org/archives/chinook.html