Notes/questions on words in Hancock list PART ONE

[David Robertson]

Klahowya, siksh!  Here are a few remarks as a start on answering Mike's
questions.  Anybody out there able to help?  --Dave

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On Wed, 24 Mar 1999, Mike Cleven wrote:
> ekon...good spirit [Mike suggests a connection with Russian 'ikon' i.e.
"icon"; I doubt it, but can't prove you wrong!]
>
> sapak - strong, powerful
>
> stulis - rain [Looks very Salish; however, Halq'emeylem and
	Shashishalhem have a very different word.  Related to, or misuse
	of, same root as in 'stalo'?]
>
> sukwelul - gun (pistol?)  I've seen "sokwelal" in another list, but I'm not
> sure what language this was from or where it was in use.  [I assume this
	is likely Salishan as well.  Halq'emeylem has sa`kwEla'X, also
	meaning "arrow".]

>
> shu - old [I don't know.  Ooshtaqi uses it in his poems!]
>
> silokmul - window [Maybe not Salish; Old Chinook?  Father Edward
	Griva has silokmil for 'window (the hole)' in his manuscript dictionary
	of CJ, and shelo'ckum for 'mirror'.]

> sitcum - swim.  I think I've seen sitshum in another lexicon, but I'm not sure
	[Griva:  sitkum 'swim'.  Sorry I don't have Boas' Old Chinook
	classic at hand.]

> Sketsotwa - name given for the Columbia River.  Anyone recognize which
> language it's from?  I'm wondering if this name was only local or if it
> became the accepted name, at least when speaking Jargon, for the great
> river.  I think Sto:lo/Staulo as the name for the Fraser was like this; in
> use among Secwepemc, Nlakapamux, and Halqemeylem speakers (and St'at'imcets
> too, I think).
>
> stlu - wind [No idea, unless Halq'emeylem tElhElho:'s 'warm wind [from
	South or downriver]' is a match!]
>
> smenus, shmenus - hill.  Appears on the BC map as the town-name Chemainus;
> doesn't surprise me that it was considered Jargon by whichever source gave
> the word to Hancock; AFAIK it's not Hulqiminum (the language area that
> Chemainus is in).  [See the posting that just came across on this list;
	again, maybe the same root as in Shashishalhem sma'nit
	"mountain", and Halq'emeylem sma:'lt "mountain".]

> solimi - cranberry [Origin not know to me.  Griva:  solemi.]
>
> spowa - faded, grey, buff [Griva:  spoah "faded".]
>
> shelipo - ice, frozen  [?Shashishalhem spi'w "ice"; Halq'emeylem
	spi:'w.]
>
> shwulpe, shulpi - tree [Looks Salish to me.]
>
> ta - a certain supernatural being [Ooshtaqi uses this too, for
'spirit, soul' if I remember!]
>
> talapus - Hancock gives another meaning - "sneaky person".  Perhaps just
> sly....[Certainly a metaphor, Coyote being the epitome of skullduggery.]
>
> tanino - ravine, gorge, vulva (Aren't there a couple of "Tenino" placenames
> around here?)  [Same phenomenon as previous item; also refers to 'fork
	in road; crotch of tree'.  Town of Tenino is near Chehalis, WA,
	isn't it?  And Oregon has a Tenino somewhere?]

> teluhksutc - finger  [Halq'emeylem slE'XtsEs 'finger']
>
> tuksunk, teksen - to pursue
>
> tishkoko - fox [Griva: tiskoko 'fox-hat'.]
>
> toluk - call
>
> towun - store, put up, put away [Salish-looking.]
	
>
> tsaypa, saypa - straight, upright  [Griva saipaX 'straight, erect'; Old
	Chinook root?]
>
> tselil - lake.  [Shashishalhem tse'la'lh is evidence that this is
	Salishan.]
>
> tsla.di - woman  [A good old Puget Sound-area Salish word.  Lushootseed
	slhadEy7 'woman'; cf. Shashishalhem slha'nay.]
>
> tsolput - pouch
>