iktas = "cattle" too

[David Robertson]

"Cattle too"?  Reminds me of the Catholic schoolkids in Spokane making fun 
of those who attend Cataldo School: "cattle doo".

In various letters from First Nations people of BC's southern interior, I 
notice yet another regionalism.  The word "iktas," which means "property, 
possessions" throughout the Jargon world, there means "cattle" also.  

This next bit is from a Shuswap man's undated letter.  Since he's worried 
about his "iktas" dying, he's surely not talking about his "stuff"!

Kopa Samin Arm, ilo 
(AT SALMON ARM NOT)
"At Salmon Arm, 

kopit sno, kakwa nsaika kwash pus mimlus nsaika 
(FINISHED SNOW SO WE AFRAID FOR DIE OUR)
the snow's not gone, so we're afraid that our 

iktas.  Kakwa nisaika kiskis aiak kopa Shoshwap.  Alta 
(THINGS SO WE DRIVE FAST TO SHUSWAP NOW)
cattle will die.  So we're quickly driving them to Shuswap.  Now

ilo sno kopa Shoshwap--pi ilo drit kopit sno, 
(NOT SNOW AT SHUSWAP AND NOT REALLY FINISHED SNOW)
the snow is gone from Shuswap--but the snow's not really gone,

tanas mor--ilo drit kopit, pi wik saia kopit.
(LITTLE MORE NOT REALLY FINISHED BUT NOT FAR FINISHED)
there's a bit more--not really gone, but almost gone."

<You may notice another regionalism here, the word "mor" for "more".  It's 
very common in the regional CJ I'm talking about.  The influence of spoken 
English on this variety is pretty heavy.>  

--Dave R

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