Good morning, folks! I want to give a big “thank you” to Donna for her contributions to the Editor’s Corner and to y’all for being so welcoming to her.
Since I spent my long weekend in the Pacific Northwest, I figured I had two choices of topics:
· First, I could discuss the words my eight-year-old nephew wrote on my hands using ink only viewable under black light. I think you are probably already familiar with those words, and we try to avoid bathroom talk at work. Let’s just say I won’t be going to any bars until the ink wears off; I don’t want to offend the bouncers.
· Second, I thought maybe I would look up some of the words we’ve added to English from the different indigenous peoples of America. I know we’ve borrowed a lot of names (Klickitat, Kopachuck, Puyallup) but I didn’t realize how many words we’ve adopted. This is a partial list of words from Algonquian and related languages. For other languages and additional words see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_words_from_indigenous_languages_of_the_Americas
Caribou
From qalipu, "snow-shoveler”.
Chipmunk
Originally chitmunk, "red squirrel".
Eskimo
From aiachkimeou (modern ayassimēw), meaning "snowshoe-netter".
Hickory
From pocohiquara, "milky drink made with hickory nuts".
Hominy
From uskatahomen/usketchaumun, literally "that which is treated", in this case "that which is ground/beaten".
Moose
From mo·swa (Proto-Algonquian)
Opossum
From apasum/opussumz/aposoum, "white dog-like animal”, “white dog".
Pecan
From pakani, "nut".
Persimmon
From pessemins/pushemins, "fruit, berry".
Pone
From poan/appoans, "something roasted".
Raccoon
From arahkun/aroughcun.
Squash (fruit)
From askútasquash.
Succotash
From msíckquatash, "boiled whole kernels of corn".
http://www.nps.gov/mora/photosmultimedia/photogallery.htm
Kara Church
Senior Technical Editor
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