BURDASH [BUR-dash] or [BAR-dash] — noun. Meaning: Hermaphrodite; intersex; neuter; genderless. Origin: Canadian French berdache > Italian bardassa > entering European languages via Moorish Spain from Arabic bardaj, “slave” > […]

ALKI [AHL-kee] (historical) or [al-KAI] (modern) — adverb. Meaning: Eventually; someday; in the future; times to come; presently; directly; later; in a little while; after a while; shortly; will; shall; […]

TILLIKUM [TIL’-i-kum] or [TIL’-LI-kum] —  noun. Meaning: Person; people; relative; relation; family; kin; kindred; ally; fellow; associate; folk; tribe; nation; population;   Origin: From Chinookan stems -lkh ‘ground, earth’ + […]

TYEE [ty-EE’ ] or [tahy-EE]  — Noun, Adjective. Origin: From Nootka Jargon tayi(s) < Nuu-chah-nulth  tayi  “elder”, “oldest son”, “older brother”, “senior”; allegedly resembles Inuktitut toyom “chief” Meaning: boss; chief; […]

HYAK [HY’-ak] — adverb. Meaning: Swift; fast; quick; quickly; speed; speedy; hurry; hasten; make haste; instantly; prompt; sudden; suddenly; rapid; rapidity of motion. Origin: Chinook ai-ak, from a Chinookan particle […]

CHUCK [chuhk] or [tsukw] — noun. Meaning: water; liquid; river; stream Origin: Nootka Jargon chaak ‘water’ < Nuu-chah-nulth cha’uk ‘water’. Also from a Chinookan noun tlchuqw ‘water’ > Chinook, tltsuk; […]

TENAS [TEN’-as]  — adjective.   [ten’-AS] or [dun’-US] (Grand Ronde pronunciation) — noun. Meaning: Small; few; little; lesser; weak; young; a child; a youth Origin: From Nootka Jargon taná(s) ‘child, little’ […]

HIYU [hi-YU’] or [hy-IU’] — adjective, noun. Meaning:  many; much; lots of; greatly; heap; plenty; plentiful; plural; enough (to go around), abundance Origin: From Nootka Jargon hayú ‘many, much’ < […]