Re: Mobilian language

John E. Koontz (koontz@alpha.bldr.nist.gov)
Fri, 17 Jun 1994 16:07:55 -0500


> Hum, Hawaiian in Chinook?
> Possible. I always thought that Pacific Coast Indianss.
> Namely Tlingit/Haida art bared some resemblence to Hawaiian Art.
> So why not linguistic influences to?
> Could the currents help? I don't have a globe near by.

Actually, I believe that the Hawaiian influence in the NW dates to the
historical period, when Hawaiians (called O-wy-ees, etc., not sure of this
spelling) were brought to the NW on European ships as crewmembers and as
laborers, etc. I believe it's debated whether the Chinook trade language
predates European trading, but it's clear that some of the influences in
Chinook as it was recorded are from the historical period.