'grizzly bear' / 'chief'

[David Robertson]

 *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

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 3 Nov 1999 10:49:49 -0500
From: Dell Hymes <dhh4d at virginia.edu>
To: David Robertson <drobert at tincan.tincan.org>
Subject: Re: Whence the CJ word for 'grizzly bear'? (fwd)

 The Halqemelem 'siam' (chief') certainly is an interesting possibility.
Along the Columbia, grizzly bear sometimes was addressed as 'chief' (the
Wasco word would be i-shtamx).
	So the meaning could fit.

	That still leaves the difference between -ia- and -ai (between s-m)
to be explained.  Perhaps someone who knows Halqemelem can comment.

			All best,
					Dell