Sources of CJ Words

[Henry Kammler]

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I got this interesting msg. from Dell Hymes and it was probably meant for the
whole list
re: loans Nootka > CJ / Chinook proper > CJ
Henry
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In regard to Nootka and Chinook as sources, influences, prestigeful.
I don't know enough about Nootka to say, but there seem to be at least
three words in Chinookan languages proper (not CJ) shared with Nootka, and
which probably came from Nootka to Chinookan.  One is a word associated
with spirit power (ts'a:yiq), another the likelihood that Chinookan 'otter,
'-nana-m-uks includes the Nootkan and Kwakitul stem for 'girzzly bear',
nana- (ssee my 'Commentary' in Valdman and Highfield (eds.), Theoretical
Orientations in Creole Lingusiatics (NY: Acadmeic Press, 1980), p. 410-1).
The other two appear to be names of items that would have been traded in
some form, such as furs. But here Kwakitul 'young seal', wule:'xu seems
borrowed from Chinookan, wa-lxaiu, where wa- is a nominal prefix.  And
Kwakiutl Ts'o:noqoa, 'an ogress reprsened on masks and house posts, seems
likely to come from Chinookan -t'u-naqu, which is analyzable in Chinookan
(t'u- good, powerful)
          I would have suspetced that the Nootka and Kwakwala had higher
prestige, and would be the source generally. Perhaps further study will
show that to be linguistically the case.  Not that  Chinookans would admit
that anyone else was better than themselves.
        But this is only a small part of a puzzle.  One would need to trace
trade and loan words among the Salishan languages along the way as well.
My impression as to the state of published information is that that would
be difficult.
                Dell Hymes