Dictionary of the Chinook Jargon, or Indian Trade Language, of the North Pacific Coast

This reference work offers a detailed look at Chinook Jargon, the hybrid trade language that once linked Native peoples, European traders, and settlers along the North Pacific coast. Arranged alphabetically, each entry pairs the Chinook term with its English meaning and often includes a short example sentence that shows the word in context. The entries cover everything from everyday objects—like “boat,” “bed,” and “canoe”—to social terms such as “elder,” “slave,” and “gift.”

Beyond a simple word list, the book captures the cultural flavor of a bustling maritime world, revealing how speakers blended languages to describe trade, travel, and daily life. Readers will hear the rhythm of expressions like “al‑ah” for surprise or “hyas tyee” for a great chief, and discover the practical vocabulary that guided negotiations on rivers and seas. Whether you are a language hobbyist, a historian of the Pacific Northwest, or simply curious about the region’s past, this guide opens a window onto a vanished but influential tongue.