"mush": from French or from Chinuk-wawa?

[Dave Robertson]

Hi, a question touching on Nadja's and Alan's postings:  Is it more likely that the dog-team word "mush" is directly derived from French, or from Chinuk-wawa?  Why?

Jack London and some others I seem to recall reading in our family library used the word "mush" also to mean "trekking arduously", no?  As in the journey from Skagway over the mountains to the interior goldfields.  The seeming connection with the coast makes me consider a Chinook influence possible.

qhata mEsayka tEmtEm?
Dave

ahartley at d.umn.edu wrote:
>
> > I've always suspected that "mush" came from the Ojibwe "animosh" for "dog"
> > ... does anyone know?
>
> It's probably from French marche.
>
> Alan
>

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