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Your Chinook Wawa Word of the Day: Kahkwa
KAHKWA
[KAH’-kwa] โ adverb, conjunction.
Meaning: Alike; like; similar to; equal with; as so; as also; even as; thus, such, hence, because, inasmuch; ‘accordingly; like, resembling’.
Origin: Chinookan kรกkwa โthusโ > Nootka Jargon kwokwokwa ‘like (this)’ > Makah Nookta qwa- ‘to be thus’
It is generally associated with sameness or similarity to something, as evident in โkahkwa eggโ (oval). If something is as expected, it might be described as โkahkwa sposeโ (as if; it appears; seems to be) or as โkwonesum kahkwaโ (regular). Of course the opposite of this would be if something was โwake kahkwaโ (unequal).
The expression “kahkwa nika tumtum” (as I think; so I think), literally means โsuch [is] my heartโ, and โThe Lord’s Prayerโ in the Chinook jargon ends with the expression “kloshe kahkwa” (that is right; good so; so be it; amen).
Of course it would be foolish to assume “kopet kahkwa” (that is all). Kahkwa is used to create comparative adjectives, as seen in “halo kahkwa” (not like; unlike), “yaka kahkwa” (alike; itโs like), “delate kahkwaโ (exactly the same), and “kahkwa hyas” (as large as; as big as).
It is also often used to change nouns into adverbs and sometimes into adjectives, as seen in “kahkwa tillikum” (friendly), “kahkwa chuck” (fluid; liquid, like water), “kahkwa chikamin” (metallic; like metal), โkahkwa kamooksโ (beastly, like a dog), and โkahkwa pilโ (redish).
It can also be used to describe traits and characteristics of a person, as seen in “kahkwa tyee” (like a chief; aristocratic; kingly), โkahkwa papaโ (paternal) and โkahkwa atsโ (sisterly), โkahkwa klootchmanโ (effeminate), or describe the nature of something, as seen in โkahkwa shugahโ (sugary), โkahkwa gleaseโ (oily).