PKEFACE. VU 



Indians were softened or dropped; and the/ and r of the English and 

 French, to them unpronounceable', were modified into p and I. Gram- 

 matical forms were reduced to their simplest expression, and variations 

 in mood and tense conveyed only by adverbs or by the context. 

 The language continued to receive additions, and assumed a more dis- 

 tinct and settled meaning, under the Northwest and Hudson's Bay 

 coinpanies, who succeeded Astor's party, as well as through the 

 American settlers in Oregon. Its advantage was soon perceived by 

 the Indians, and the Jargon became to some extent a means of com- 

 munication between natives of different speech, as well as between 

 them and the whites. It was even used as such between Americans 

 and Canadians. It was at first most in vogue upon the lower Colum- 

 bia and the Willamette, whence it spread to Puget Sound, and with 

 the extension of trade, found its way far up the coast, as well as the 

 Columbia and Fraser rivers; and there are now few tribes between 

 the 42d and 57th parallels of latitude in which there are not to be 

 found interpreters through its medium. Its prevalence and easy ac- 

 quisition, while of vast convenience to traders and settlers, has tended 

 greatly to hinder the acquirement of the original Indian languages; 

 so much so, that except by a few missionaries and pioneers, hardly 

 one of them is spoken or understood by white men in all Oregon 

 and Washington Territory. Notwithstanding its apparent poverty 

 in number of words, and the absence of grammatical forms, it pos- 

 sesses much more flexibility and power of expression than might 

 be imagined, and really serves almost every purpose of ordinary in- 

 tercourse. 



The number of words constituting the Jargon proper has been vari- 

 ously stated. Many formerly employed have become in great meas- 

 ure obsolete, while others have been locally introduced. Thus, at 

 the Dalles of the Columbia, various terms are common which would 

 not be intelligible at Astoria or on Puget Sound. In making the fol- 

 lowing selection, I have included all those which, on reference to a 

 number of vocabularies, I have found current at any of these places, 

 rejecting, on the other hand, such as individuals, partially acquainted 

 with the native languages, have employed for their own convenience. 

 The total number falls a little short of five hundred words. 



An analysis of their derivations gives the following result : 



Chinook, including Clatsop 200 



Chinook, having analogies with other languages. . 21 

 Interjections common to several 8 



