Dictionary of the Chinook Jargon, or, Trade Language of Oregon

~Klák-sta~, or ~Kluk'-sta~, pron. Chinook, T'KLUKSTA. Ex. Klaksta mamook okook? who made or did that? halo klaksta, no one.

~Klák-wun~, or ~Kléh-kwan~, v. Chihalis, KLAKWUN.To wipe, or lick.

Klakwun l'assiette, to wipe a plate.

~Klale~, or ~T'klale~, adj. Chinook, TLEHL. Black, or dark blue, or green.

~Klap~, v. Chinook, KLAP. To find. Ex. Mika na klap mika kiuatan? did you find your horse? klap tenas, to be with child.

~Kla'-pite~, n. Chinook, KLIPAIT. Thread; twine.

~Klás-ka~, or ~Klus'-ka~, pron. Chinook, KLUSKA. They; thine; them.

~Klat'-a-wa~, v. Nootka, KLATTUNWAH (Jewitt); Nittinat, KLATÖUKH. To go. Klatawa teáhwit, to walk; go on foot; klatawa kopa kiuatan, to ride; klatawa kopa boat, to sail; mamook klatawa, to send.

~Kla-wháp~, n. Chinook, KLHUAP. A hole. Mamook klawhap, to dig a hole.

~Klem'-a-hun~, v. Chihalis, idem. To stab; to wound; to dart; to cast as a spear; to hook or gore as an ox. Nika klemahun samun, I spear salmon.

~Klihl~, or ~Klilt~, adj. Chinook, KLIHL. Bitter. Not of universal use. Mr. Hale makes it KLITL, sour.

~Klik'-a-muks~, n. Chinook, KLIKABUKS. Blackberries, or more properly dewberries.

~Klik'-wal-lie~, or ~Kloke'-wal-lie~. Chinook, KLIKWALI. Brass wire; an armlet or bracelet of brass wire. Mr. Anderson gives the original meaning as simply brass.

~Klim-in'-a-whit~, n., v. Chinook, KLIMINAWHUT. A lie; to lie. Hyas kumtuks kliminawhit, he is a great liar (literally, he knows well how to lie).

~Klim'-min~, or ~Klimmin-klimmin~, adj. Chinook, TKLEMIN-TKLEMIN. Soft; fine in substance. The reduplication denotes the diminutive, but in jargon it is generally used singly. Ex. Klimmin sapoleel, flour; klimmin illahie, mud; marshy ground; mamook klimmin, to soften as by dressing a skin.

~Klip~, adj. Chinook, KELIPE; Chihalis, KLUPUTL; Nisqually, KLEP. Deep; sunken. Klip chuck, deep water; klip sun, sunset.

~Klis'-kwiss~, n. Chinook, idem. A mat.

~Klógh-klogh~, n. Chinook, OKLÓKHKLO. Oysters. The word is common to the Puget Sound tribes, as well as to the Chinooks.

~Klo-náss~, adv. Chinook, idem. Expression of uncertainty or doubt. Perhaps; I don't know; may be so; who knows? Equivalent to the Spanish quien sabe. Ex. Klonass nika klatawa, perhaps I shall go. Q. Kah mika kahpho? where is your brother? A. Klonass, I don't know.

~Klone~, adj. Chinook, TKLON. Three.

~Klook~, adj. English. Crooked. Klook teáhwit, broken legged; lame.

~Klootch-man~, n. Nootka and Tokwaht, KLUTSMA. A woman; a female of any animal. Tenas klootshman, a girl; klootchman kiuatan, a mare.

~Klose~, or ~Kloshe~, adj., adv. Nootka; Tokwaht, KLOHTL; Makah, KLOTELO; Nisqually, KLOB. Good; well; well enough. Kloshe nannitsh, look out; take care; hyas kloshe, very well.

~Klose-spose~. Nootka, KLOHTL; English, SUPPOSE. Shall or may I; let me. Ex. Klose-spose nika mamook pia okook? shall I cook that? (literally, [is it] good that I make cook that?).

~Klugh~, or ~Klugh-klugh~. Chinook, KLUKH. To tear. Mamook klugh illahie, to plough (literally, to tear the ground).

~Kluk-ulh'~, or ~Klak-alh'~, adj. Chihalis, TLUKUTLH. Broad or wide, as of a plank.

~Ko~, v. Chinook, idem. To reach; arrive at. Chee klaska ko, they have just come; kansih nesika ko kopa Nisqually? when shall we reach Nisqually.

~Ko'-ko~, v. Chinook (by onoma). To knock. Koko stick, a wood-pecker.

~Kok'-shut~, v. Nootka, KAKHSHETL; Klaokwat, KWÁCHITL. In the original, dead. To break; broken; to beat. Hyas kokshut, broken to pieces.

~Kon'-a-way~, adj. Chinook, KÁNAWÉ. All; every. Klaska konaway klatawa, they have all gone; konaway tilikum, everybody; konaway kah, everywhere.

~Koo'-sah~, or ~Kó-sah~, n. Chinook, EKÓSAKH. The sky. Only used on the Columbia.

~Ko'-pa~, adv., prep. Chinook, idem. To; in; at; with; towards; of; about; concerning; there or in that place. Ex. Kopa nika house, at my house; lolo okook kopa mika, take that home with you (equivalent to the French chez vous); cultus kopa nika, it is nothing to me. Q. Kah okook lope? where is that rope? A. (motioning with the chin towards the place) Kopáh.

~Ko-pet'~, v., adv. Chinook, idem. To stop; leave off; enough. Kopet wau-wau, stop talking; kopet ikt, only one; kopet okook, that's all; wake siah kopet, nearly finished; kopet tomalla, day after to-morrow.

~Kow~, v. Chinook, KAU-KAU. To tie; to fasten. Kow mika kiuatan, tie your horse; ikt kow, a bundle.

~Kull~, adj. Chinook, K'HUL-K'HUL. Hard in substance; difficult. Chahko kull, to become hard; mamook kull, to harden; to cause to become hard; hyas kull spose mamook, it is very hard to do so; kull stick, oak or any hard wood.

~Kul-lagh'~, or ~Kul-lagh'-an~, n. Chihalis, KULLAKH; Lummi, KULLUKHAN. A fence; a corral, or inclosure. Kullagh stick, fence rails. In the original, it meant the stockade with which Indian houses are often surrounded.

~Kum'-tuks~, or ~Káme-taks~, v. Nootka, KOMMETAK (Jewitt); Tokwaht, KUMITUKS; Clayoquot, KEMITAK. To know; understand; be acquainted with; imagine; believe. Mamook kumtuks, to explain; teach; hyas kumtuks solleks (literally, well to understand anger), to be passionate; kopet kumtuks, to forget; halo kumtuks, stupid; without understanding; (of a horse) hyas yakka kumtuks cooley, he can run fast (literally, he knows well to run); kumtuks kliminawhit, to be a liar; to understand lying; nika kumtuks okook tyee, I know that chief; nika kumtuks Klikatat wau-wau, I understand the Klikatat language.

~Kun'-a-moxt~, adj. Chinook, KONAWAY MOXT. Both; together (literally, all two). Kunamoxt kahkwa, both alike.

~Kun'-sih, Kan'-sih, Kun'-juk, Kun'-jie~, adv. Chinook, KUNSÉUKH. How many; when; ever. Kunsih tilikum mitlite? how many people are there? kunsih mika klatawa? when do you go? wake kunsih, never; mamook kunsih, to count.

~Kush'-is~, n. Chihalis, KOSHIS. Stockings. In the original, any elastic article of dress. Not in general use.

~Kwah'-ne-sum~, adv. Chinook, KWÁNISUM; Yakama, KWÁLISIM. Always; forever.

~Kwáh'-nioe~, n. Klikatat, KWADDIS. A whale.

~Kwáhta~, n. English. The quarter of a dollar. The quarter of any number is usually expressed in Jargon by tenas sitku, i.e., a small half.

~Kwah'-tin~. See YAKWAHTIN.

~Kwaist~, or ~Kweest~, adj. Chinook, KWAITST. Nine.

~Kwa-lal'-kwa-lal'~, v. Chinook, KWULLIL-KWULLIL. To gallop.

~Kwal'h~, n. Chihalis, KWATLH. An aunt.

~Kwann~, adj. Chinook, KWAN-KWAN. Glad. According to Mr. Anderson, it means a custom or habit. It is used by some in this sense as tamed or broken, as of a horse (McCormick). KWAL is Nisqually for tame.

~Kwass~, adj. Chinook, idem. Fear; afraid; tame. Mamook kwass, to frighten; to tame.

~Kwates~, or ~Kwehts~, adj. Chihalis, KWETS. Sour.

~Kwéh-kweh~, n. Chinook, OKWÉKWE (by onoma). A mallard duck. Used chiefly at mouth of the Columbia.

~Kwék-wi-ens~, n. Chihalis, idem. A pin. Of limited use.

~Kwéo-kwéo~, n. Chinook, T'KWEO-KWEO. A ring; a circle.

~Kwetlh~, adj. Chihalis, idem. (Anderson). Proud. Not in general use.

~Kwin'-num~, adj. Chinook, KWENEM. Five.

~Kwish~, or ~Kweesh~, interj. Refusing any thing contemptuously.

Equivalent to "No you don't." Used on the lower Columbia.

~Kwit'-shad-ie~, n. Nisqually, KWUTSHDIE. The hare or rabbit. Confined to Puget Sound.

~Kwo-lann'~, or ~Kwo-lah'-nie~, n. Chihalis, KWOLÁN; Nisqually, KWILANI. The ear. Halo kwolann, or, ikpooie kwolann, deaf.

~Kwulh~, or ~Kwult~, v. Chinook, KWULT'H. To hit; to wound with an arrow or gun; to strike with a slick or stone; or in any manner without cutting; to hit.

~Kwun'-nun~, n. Chihalis, idem. A count; numbers. Ex. Mamook kwunnun, to count. Of merely local use.

~Kwutl~, adj. Chinook, idem. Literally, fast. To push or squeeze, as in packing; hyas mamook kwutl, haul tight.

~L.~

~La-bleed'~, n. French, LA BRIDE. A bridle.

~La-boos'~, n. French, LA BOUCHE. The mouth; mouth of a river. Moxt laboos, the forks of a river.

~La-boo-ti'~, n. French, LA BOUTEILLE. A bottle.

~La-ca-lat'~, n. French, LA CAROTTE. A carrot.

~La-ca-set'~, n. French, LA CASETTE. A box, trunk, or chest.

~La-clo-a~, n. French, LA CROIX. A cross.

~Lagh~, v. Chinook, LAKH. To lean; to tip, as a boat; to stoop; to bend over, as a tree. Wake mika lagh kopa okook house, don't lean against that house.

~La-gome~, n. French, LA GOMME. Pitch; glue. La gome stick, light-wood; the pitch-pine.

~La-gwin'~, or ~La-kween'~, n. Quære u. d. A saw.

~La-hál.~ See SLAHAL.

~Lahb~, n. French, L'HERBE. The arbutus uva ursi, the leaves of which are used in smoking, alone or mixed with tobacco.

~La-hásh~, n. French, LA HACHE. An axe or hatchet.

~La-kam-mas'.~ See KAMASS.

~Lak'-it~, or ~Lok'-it~, adj. Chinook, LAKT. Four; four times. Lakit taht-lelum, forty.

~La'-kles~, n. French, LA GRAISSE. Fat; oil. See, also, GLEASE.

~La-láh~, v. Chinook, LAKHWHOLA. To cheat; fool; to practise jokes.

Mamook lalah, to make fun.

~La-lahm'~, or ~La-lum'~, n. French, LA RAME.An oar. Mamook lalahm, to row.

~La-láng~, n. French, LA LANGUE. The tongue; a language.

~La-leem'~, n. French, LA LIME. A file.

~La-messe'~, n. French, idem. The ceremony of the mass.

~La-més-tin~, or ~La-mó-tchin~, n. French, LA MÉDECINE. Medecine, not including magic.

~Lam'-mi-eh~, or ~Lam-mi-i~, n. French, LA VIEILLE. An old woman.

~La-món-ti~, or ~La-mó-ti~, n. French, LA MONTAGNE. A mountain.

~La-peep'~, n. French, LA PIPE. A tobacco-pipe. Lapeep kullakala (literally, the "pipe-bird"), the band-tailed eagle, as its feathers were used to ornament the pipe stems.

~La-péhsh~, n. French, LA PERCHE. A pole; the setting-pole of a boat or canoe.

~La-pel-láh~, v. Quære if from the French, LE FOYER. Mamook lapellah, to roast before the fire.

~La-pelle'~, n. French, LA PELLE. A shovel or spade.

~La-pe-osh'~, n. French, LA PIOCHE. A mattock; a hoe.

~La-piége~, n. French, LA PIÉGE. A trap. Eena la piége, a beaver-trap.

~La-plash~, n. French, LA PLANCHE. A board.

~La-po-el'~, n. French, LA POÊLE. A frying-pan. Mamook lapoel, to fry.

~La-póme~, n. French, LA POMME. An apple.

~La-pool'~, n. French, LA POULE. A fowl; poultry. Siwash lapool, the grouse.

~La-poo-shet'~, n. French, LA FOURCHETTE. A fork.

~La-póte~, n. French, LA PORTE. A door.

~La-sánjel~, n. French, LA CINGLE. A girth; a sash; a belt.

~La-sée~, n. French, LA SCIE. A saw.

~La-sell'~, n. French, LA SELLE. A saddle.

~Lá-shal-loo~, or ~Lá-shal-lee~, n. French, LA CHARRUE. A plough.

~La-shán-del~, n. French, LA CHANDELLE. A candle.

~La-sháse~, n. French, LA CHAISE. A chair.

~La-shen'~, n French, LA CHAINE. A chain.

~Las-siet'~, n. French, L'ASSIETTE. A plate.

~La-swáy~, n., adj. French, LA SOIE. Silk; silken.

~La-táhb~, n. French, LA TABLE. A table.

~La-tet'~, n. French, LA TÊTE. The head. Pil latet, red-headed.

~La-tlah'~, n. French, TRAIN; as, "ne faites pas de train." (Anderson). A noise. Mamook latlah, to make a noise.

~La-wen'~, n. French, L'AVOINE. Oats.

~La-west'~, n. French, LA VESTE. A waistcoat.

~Lazy~, adj. English, idem. Lazy.

~Le-báh-do~ (often pronounced lab'-a-do), n. French, LE BARDEAU. A shingle.

~Le-bal'~, n. French, idem. A ball; bullet. Tenas lebal, shot.

~Le-bis'-kwie~, n. French, LE BISCUIT. Biscuit; crackers; hard bread.

~Le-blau'~, n., adj. French, LE BLOND. A sorrel horse; chestnut colored.

~Le-clem'~, n., adj. French, LE CRÊME. Cream-colored; a cream-colored or light dun horse.

~Le-cock'~, n. French, LE COQ. A cock; a fowl.

~Le-doo'~, n. French, LE DOIGT. A finger.

~Le-gléy~, n., adj. French, LE GRIS, or English GRAY, with French article. A gray horse; gray.

~Le-jaub'~. See DIAUB.

~Le-kléh~, n. French, LE CLEF. A key. Mamook le kleh, lock the door.

~Le-kloo'~, n. French, LE CLOU. A nail; nails.

~Le-koo'~, n. French, LE COU. The neck.

~Le-ky'e~, n., adj. Mr. Anderson derives this from a Canadian word caille, meaning a piebald horse. In its jargon use, it means, also, a spot, spotted, or speckled; as, lekye salmon, the spotted or winter salmon (salmo canis, Suckley).

~Le-lo'-ba~, n. French, LE RUBAN. A ribbon.

~Le-loo'~, n. French, LE LOUP. A wolf (the large wolf).

~Le-máh~, or ~Léh-ma~, n. French, LA MAIN. The hand; the arm. Kloshe lemah, the right (literally, the good hand); potlatch lemah, shake hands.

~Le-máh-to~, n. French, LE MARTEAU. A hammer.

~Le-mel'~, n. French, LE MULET. A mule.

~Le-mo'-lo~, n., adj. French Canadian, LE MORON; undoubtedly a corruption of MARRON, a runaway negro. Wild; untamed. It applies to men as well as animals, as, for instance, to the tribes which have had no intercourse with the settlements.

~Le-moo'-to~, or ~Lam'-mu-to~, n. French, LES MOUTONS. Sheep.

~Le-pan'~, n. French, LE PAIN. Bread; raised or light bread.

~Le-pee'~, n. French, LE PIED. The feet.

~Le-pish'-e-mo~, n. Quære u. d. The saddle-blanket and housings of a horse.

~Le-plét~, n. French, LE PRÊTRE. A priest.

~Le-pwau'~, n. French, LES POIS. Peas.

~Le-sak'~, n. French, LE SAC. A bag; a pocket.

~Le-sap'~, or ~Le-zep'~, n. French, LES OEUFS. An egg; eggs.

~Le-sée-blo~, n. French, LES ÉPERONS. Spurs.

~Le-sée-zo~, n. French, LE CISEAU. Scissors.

~Le-sóok~, n. French, LE SUCRE. Sugar.

~Le-táh~, n. French, LE DENT. The teeth.

~Le-whet'~, n. French, LE FOUET. A whip. Mamook lewhet, to whip.

~Lice~, n. English. Rice.

~Lik-pu'-hu~, or ~Lik'-po~, n. (Hale.) An elder sister. Mr. Hale gives this as a Chinook word. If so, it is probably a corruption of KUP'HO. It is not used in Jargon.

~Lip'-lip~, v. By onoma. (Hale). To boil Mamook liplip, to make, or cause to boil.

~Ló-lo~, v. Chinook, idem. Originally, to carry a child on the back. In Jargon, used in a more extended sense. To carry; to load. Lolo kopa tsiktsik, to carry in a cart. Mamook lolo kopa canim, to load into a canoe.

~Lo-lo'~, adj. Chinook, LOWULLO. Round; whole; the entire of any thing. Lolo sapeleel, whole wheat; mamook lolo, to roll up (Shaw).

~Lope~, n. English, ROPE. A rope. Tenas lope, a cord; skin lope, a raw hide, riata, or thong.

~Luk'-ut-chee~, or ~Lá-kwit-chee~, n. French, LA COQUILLE. (?) Clams.

Used chiefly on Puget Sound.

~Lum~, n. English, RUM. Spirits of any sort.

~M.~

~Máh-kook~, v., n. Nootka, MÁKUK; Nittinat and Tokwaht, idem; Makah, BÁKWATL. To buy or sell; trade or exchange; a bargain. As their buying and selling was merely barter, the same word always answered for both operations. Kah mika mahkook okook calipeen? where did you buy that rifle? hyas mahkook, dear; tenas mahkook, cheap.

~Máh-kook-house.~ A trading-house or a store.

~Máh-lie~, v. Nisqually. To forget. Of local use on Puget Sound.

~Mahsh~, v. a. French, MARCHER. To leave; to turn out; to throw away; to part with; remove. Ex. Mahsh chuck kopa boat, bail the boat out; mahsh okook salmon, throw away that fish; mahsh maika capo, take off your coat; mahsh! (to a dog) get out! mahsh tenas, to have a child; to be delivered; yakka mahsh tum-tum kopa nika, he has given me his orders, or told me his wishes; mahsh kow, to untie; mahsh stone, to castrate.

~Máh-sie~, v. French, MERCIE. Thank you.

~Máht-lin-nie~, adv. Chinook, MÁTLINI. Off shore. (In boating), keep off! (if on land), towards the water.

~Máht-wil-lie~, _adv._Chinook, MÁTHWILI. In shore; shoreward. (As a command), keep in; (on land), towards the woods, or the interior.

~Ma-láh, n. Chinook, MALAGH. Tinware; crockery; earthenware.

~Mal-i-éh, v. French, MARIER. To marry.

~Ma'-ma~, n. English, MAMMA. A mother.

~Mam'-ook~, v. a. Nootka, MAMUK. To make; to do; to work. It is the general active verb, and is used largely in combination with nouns and other verbs; as, mamook chahko, make to come, fetch; mamook kelipai, bring or send back; mamook isick, to paddle; mamook illahee, to dig.

~Man~, n. English, idem. A man; the male of any animal. Ex. Man moolock, a buck elk; tenas man, a young man or boy.

~Mél-a-kwa~, or ~Mál-a-kwa~, n. French, MARANGOUIN. (Anderson.) A mosquito.

~Mel'-ass~, n. French, MELASSE. Molasses.

~Mem'-a-loost~, v., n., part. Chinook, MÉMALUST. To die; dead. Mamook memaloost, to kill.

~Me-sáh-chie~, adj. Chinook, MASÁCHI. Bad; wicked.

~Me-si'-ka~, pron. Chinook, MESÁIKA. You; your; yours.

~Mi'-ka~, pron. Chinook, MÁIKA. Thou; thy; thine.

~Mi'-mie~, adv. Chinook, MÁIAMI. Down stream.

~Mist-chi'-mas~, n. Quære u. d. A slave. Dr. Scouler gives this word as Nootka and Columbian. Mr. Hale makes it Chinook. It is certainly, however, neither Chinook nor Chihalis; and Jewitt gives kakoelth as Nootka, while I find the Makah word kotlo, and the Nittinat kotl.

~Mit-áss~, n. Cree, MITAS. (Anderson.) Leggings. A word imported by the Canadian French.

~Mit'-lite~, v. Chinook, MITLAIT. To sit; sit down; stay at; reside; remain. It is also used in place of to have and to be. Ex. Mitlite kopa house, he is in the house; mitlite hyiu salmon kopa mika? have you plenty of salmon? mitlite (imp.), sit down; cultus mitlite, to stop anywhere without particular object; mitlite tenas, to be with child; mitlite keekwillie, to put down.

~Mit'-whit~, v. Chinook, AMETWHET. To stand; stand up. Mitwhit stick, a standing tree; a mast.

~Mokst~, adj. Chinook, MAKST. Two; twice.

~Moo'-la~, n. French, MOULIN. A mill. Stick moola, a saw-mill.

~Moo'-lock~, n. Chinook, EMÚLUK. An elk. This word, strangely enough, occurs also in the Koquilth of Humboldt Bay.

~Moon~, n. English, idem. The moon. Ikt moon, a month; sick moon, the wane or old moon.