French-Chinook list

[Ross Clark (FOA DALSL)]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mike Cleven [mailto:ironmtn at BIGFOOT.COM]
> Sent: Sunday, 19 May 2002 5:46 a.m.
> To: CHINOOK at LISTSERV.LINGUISTLIST.ORG
> Subject: Re: French-Chinook list
> 
> 
>
> On the subject of guns I've begun to wonder about the usual assignment
> of kalapeen/carabine to French origin.  Part of the reason is I was
> talking to some of the young Russian pizza delivery guys who 
> hang out at
> my regular morning Starbucks yesterday, and sure enough "karabin" is a
> Russian word; the other part of the reason is that Russian rifles were
> already in evidence in the BC Interior at the time of Simon Fraser's
> trip down the river that came to bear his name, as well as of course
> along the coast.  The Boston prononciation/parallel word here is
> "carbine" - I'm not sure about Kingchauch; point is the French (and
> French goods) weren't involved in the coastal trade (which was how the
> BC Interior got their rifles; from trade with the coast).  Just a
> speculation overall, but we automatically assign this word to French
> without considering the possible Russian option.  Of course "carabine"
> probably came to Russian _from_ French, but that's a slightly 
> different
> story.  Anyone have any idea as to which area/year it first 
> appeared in?

/karabín/ appears in Russian from the mid-17th century -- immediate source
may be either French or German. (Source: Vasmer, Etymological Dictionary)

Ross Clark