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

by George Gibbs

~K.~

~Kah~, adv. Chinook, KAKH. Where; whither; whence. Kah mika mitlite? where do you live? konaway kah, everywhere; kah-kah, here and there.

~Kah'-kah~, n. Chinook and Nisqually (by onoma.), SKAKA. A crow.

~Káh-kwa~, adv. Nootka; Tokwaht, ACHKO. Like; similar to; equal with; as. Kahkwa nika tumtum, so I think (literally, such [is] my heart); kahkwa hyas nika, as large as I; kahkwa spose, as if; kloshe kahkwa, that is right; good so.

~Kah'-na-way~, n. Chinook, T'KANAWÉ. Acorns. Kahnaway stick, the oak. Used only on the Columbia river.

~Káhp-ho~, _n._Chinook, idem. An elder brother, sister, or cousin.

~Káh-ta~, adv. Chinook, KÁTA. How; why. Kahta mika mamook okook? why do you do that? kahta mika chahko? how did you come? kahta mika? what is the matter with you? pe kahta? and why so?

~Kal-ak-a-láh-ma~, n. Chinook, OKALAKALAMA. A goose. Used on the lower
Columbia river.

~Kal-a-kwáh-tie~, n. Chinook, KALAKWATI; Clatsop, KL'WHELATL. The inner bark of the cedar (thuja); the petticoat, or skirt, formerly worn by women, and often made of strands of bark. Kalakwahtie stick, the cedar-tree.

~Ka-li'-tan~, n. Chinook, TKLAITAN. An arrow; shot; a bullet. Kalitan le sac, a quiver; a shot-pouch.

~Kal-lak'-a-la~, or ~Kul-luk'-ul-la~, n. Chinook, KALÁKALA. A bird.

~Kám-ass~, or ~Lá-kam-ass~, n. Nootka. The Scilla esculenta,—a bulbous root used for food by the Indians. Jewitt gives CHAMASS as the Nootka for fruit, also for sweet, or pleasant to the taste.

~Kám-ooks~, n. Chinook, KLKÁBOKES. A dog. Kahkwa kamooks, like a dog; beastly.

~Ka-mo'-suk~, n. Chinook, idem. Beads. Tyee kamosuk (chief beads), the large blue glass beads.

~Kap-su-ál-la~. Quære u. d. To steal. Kapsualla klatawa, to steal away; kapsualla mamook, to do secretly.

~Kát-suk~, or ~Kót-suk~, n. Chinook, idem. The middle or centre of any thing.

~Kau'-py~, n. English. Coffee.

~Ka-wák~, v. Chihalis, KAUAK. To fly. Not in general use.

~Káw-ka-wak~, adj. Chinook, KÂKAWAK. Yellow, or pale green.

~Keé-kwil-lie~, prep. Chinook, KIK'HWILI. Low; below; under; beneath; down. Mamook keekwillie, to lower; mitlite keekwillie, to set down; put under. Not used in the sense of "down stream."

~Keep'-wot~, n. Chinook, OKWÉPOWA; Yakama, KAPUS, a pin (Pandosy). A needle; the sting of an insect; a thorn. Shoes keepwot, an awl.

~Keh'-loke~, n. Chinook, idem. A swan. Of local use only.

~Keh'-see~, or ~Ki'-su~, n. Chinook, EKÉSO. An apron.

~Kéh-wa~, adv. Quære u. d. Because. Not in common use.

~Kel'-a-pi~, or ~Ká-la-pi~, v. Chinook, KELAPAI. To turn; return; overturn; upset. Kelapi canim, to upset a canoe; hyak kelapi, come back quickly; kelapi kopa house, go back to the house; mamook kelapi, to bring, send, or carry back; kelapi tumtum, to change one's mind.

~Kes'-chi~, or ~Kéh-tsie~. Chinook, KUKHTSI (Anderson). Notwithstanding; although. Keschi yakka mamook kahkwa, although he did so. Not in common use.

~Ket'-ling~, or ~Kit'-ling~, n. English. A kettle; can; basin, &c.

~Kil-it'-sut~, n. Chinook, OKWILIKTSHUT. Flint; a bottle; glass.

~Kim'-ta~, or ~Kim-tah'~, prep. Chinook, KIMTA. Behind; after; afterwards; last; since. Klatawa kimtah, go behind; nika elip, pe yakka kimtah, I first, and he afterwards; okook kimtah, the one behind; kimtah nika nannitsh mika, since I saw you.

~King Chautsh~, adj. English, KING GEORGE. English. King chautshman, an Englishman.

~Ki'-nootl~, or ~Ki'-noos~, n. Chinook, EKAINUTL. Tobacco.

~Kish-kish~, v. Chinook, idem. To drive, as cattle or horses.

~Kiu'-a-tan~, n. Chinook, IKIUATAN. Cooley kiuatan, a race-horse; stone kiuatan, a stallion.

~Ki'-wa~, adj. Wasco, KAIWA (Shaw). Crooked. Of only local use.

~Ki'-yah~, n. Chihalis, KAIYAKH. Entrails.

~Klah~, adj. Chinook, KLAKH. Free or clear from; in sight. Ex. Chee yakka klah, now he is in sight; klatawa klah, to escape, as a prisoner; chahko klah (of seed), to come up; (of the woods), to open out; (of the weather), to clear up; mamook klah, to uncover. Mr. Anderson gives as the original meaning, to open out or appear.

~Klah-hanie'~, or ~Klagh-anie'~, adv. Chinook, KLAKHANI. Out of doors; out; without. Ex. Mamook klaghanie okook, put that out; klatawa klaghanie, to go out.

~Kla'-how-ya.~ The ordinary salutation at meeting or parting. How do you do? good-bye; as, klahowya sikhs, good-bye, friend.

~Kla-hów-yum~, adj., n. Chinook, KLAHÁUIA. Poor; miserable; wretched; compassion. Ex. Hyas klahowyum nika, I am very poor; mamook klahowyum, to take pity on; give alms; be generous.

The salutation above given probably originated in some whining reply to the first whites, and a distinction has since arisen between the two modes of spelling, which is, however, purely arbitrary.

~Kláh-wa~, adv. Chinook, KLAWAKH. Slow; slowly. Ex. Klatawa klahwa, go slowly.

~Klak~, adv. Chinook, KLAKW. [To take] off. Ex. Mamook klak stone kiuatan, to castrate a horse; mamook klak l'assiette, take off the plates; klak kopa wayhut, get out of the road.

~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.