Was Jargon the original language of humans?

[Francisc Czobor]

Hayash mersi, David, pus ukuk "interesting" pipa !
   
  What strikes me is the fact that he writes "Shinuk" and "Shainaman", instead of the expected "Chinuk" and "Chainaman". Is this the influence of the "Wait man wawa" ?
  (As far as I understood, in the present most people of the area pronounce the word "Chinook" with a "sh" at the beginning). Or maybe this is the influence of Chief Leo's native language ? (there is no other "ch", or "sh" instead of "ch", in the text)
   
  Francisc

David Robertson <ddr11 at COLUMBIA.EDU> wrote:
  An interesting question. That's what Chief Leo of Hlawt (Hallout, a 
Shuswap village) asked in the middle of a letter to a priest, circa 1892:

Ilip kopa ukuk,
(BEFORE FROM THAT)
'Before that,

kopit iht mitlait kopa ukuk tilikom. Klunas
(ONLY 1 EXIST TO THESE PEOPLE DUNNO)
there was only one language for the people. Who knows

ikta ukuk wawa? O, tlus, naika papa liplit,
(WHAT THIS LANGUAGE OH PLEASE MY FATHER PRIEST)
what that language was? Oh, please, my father priest, 

mamuk hilp kopa naika. Naika tiki
(MAKE HELP TO ME I WANT)
help me out. I want

pus maika wawa, ikta ukuk wawa,
(FOR YOU SAY WHAT THIS LANGUAGE)
you to tell what that language was,

pus Shinuk, pus Wait man wawa, Shainaman
(IF CHINOOK IF WHITE MAN LANGUAGE CHINESE)
whether it was Chinook, whether it was White man talk, Chinese

wawa, pus Sawash wawa.
(LANGUAGE IF INDIAN LANGUAGE)
language, or if it was Indian.'

--Dave R

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