Pidgin
Haias tlaqauya naika
spos steamoat tcha'ko yakwa.
Tlonas naika ke'lai
spos steamboat tlatowa.
-
I am very glad
when the steamboat comes here.
I think I shall cry
when the steamboat leaves.
Tlonas kadka naika tumtum
Kwansum naika tiki nanitch maika.
Atlki naika wawa tlaqauya. Ya a'ya.
-
I do not know, how my heart feels.
Always I wish to see you,
(But) soon I (must) say good-bye. Ya a'ya
Kaltas kopa naika
Spos maika mash naika.
Haiu puty boys kuli kopa town.
Atlki weqt naika iskum.
Wek k'al kopa naika.
-
I don't care
if you desert me.
Many pretty boys are in the town.
Soon I shall take another one.
That is not hard for me!
As I was wandering through the 3rd floor of our library, I noticed that they had bound copies of The Journal of American Folklore. I pulled out the earliest edition they had, 1888-1889, and found an article on Chinook songs. Apparantly, it was neccessary to create a sort of pidgin language that could be understood by all of the native american tribes, the french, and the english. The Catholic church then tried to translate some hymns to this pidgin, and they gradually started making up their own songs. Now go learn something of your own.