Mixed blood, etc.

[David D. Robertson]

LhaXayam,

Sorrel, a term for "half-breed" that shows up here and there is "sitkum
siwash".  That's literally "half Indian".  For other "mixed-blood" people,
I'm sure you'd be understood if you said similar phrases like "sitkum
tkope" for someone who is half White.

Your second question needs a bit more complicated answer.  It's not clear
to me whether a significant number of English-speakers still know the
term "siwash", or if any of them are younger than senior citizens.  But in
English (as opposed to the Jargon, where it's a neutral term) "siwash"
tends to have an insulting sense.  And when pronounced specifically "sy-
wash", it appears to have its most insulting force.

As to why this is, clearly the speaker's intent to hurt feelings can make
any word insulting.  (I've heard "linguist" and "anthropologist" uttered in
the most withering tones you can imagine!)  And the person being described
by any given word may *feel* affronted, independently of the speaker's
motivations.  In the historic area of Chinook Jargon, we can imagine Native
folks, a majority of whom may have spoken quite good English by say 1910,
feeling at least vaguely insulted by anyone calling them "Siwashes" instead
of "Indians".

(Worse yet, by 1910 most of the non-Native folks who'd be using words
like "siwash" probably didn't speak much actual Chinook Jargon, anyway!)

Our CHINOOK archives can be searched by anyone, at
<listserv.linguistlist.org/archives/chinook.html>.  Looking for this word,
in the spelling "siwash", there you'll find some very good previous
discussions touching on your question.

Of course opinions vary from person to person.  The above is my own
understanding.

--Dave


On Fri, 20 Sep 2002 11:37:14 -0800, Sorrel Goodwin <skullbead1 at HOTMAIL.COM>
wrote:

>First of all what is the CJ word for "half-breed or
>mixed-blood" ?

>Secondly, is "Siwash" still considered derogatory, and why?