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Your Chinook Wawa Word of the Day: Klonas
KLONAS
[klo’-NASS] โ adverb.
Meaning: Perhaps; probably; doubtful; might; may; maybe so; I do not know; who knows
Origin: Chinook tlunas โmaybe,โ โdonโt knowโ
Klonas (sometimes spelled as klonass) is a word used as an expression of indecision, uncertainty, or doubt in the mind of the speaker, and in many ways equivalent to the Spanish term quiรฉn sabe, โwho knows?โ.
A conditional or suppositive meaning is given to a sentence by the word โklonasโ, though it should be noted that โklonasโ is used differently from โsposeโ (suppose; if), something which is sometimes confused by novice learners of Chinook Wawa.
An unknown person would simply be identified as โklonas klakstaโ (somebody), while finding your hotel room requires looking for a specific โklonas kunsihโ (number).
If someone were to ask you if it was going to rain today, you could respond โklonas haloโ (probably not) or “klonas nowitka” ( probably so, perhaps so; maybe). If both of something could equally apply to a situation, one could simply say โklonas klonasโ (either-or).
Examples:
โKah mika kahpho?โ (Where is your brother?)
โKlonas.โ (I don’t know; who knows?)
“Klonas yaka chako tomollo.” (Perhaps he will come tomorrow)
โKlonas nika klatawa.โ (Perhaps I shall go; maybe Iโll go)