Now’s your chance.
From Sam Sullivan:
Prof. Jay Powell is the only remaining speaker who learned British Columbia’s aboriginal trade language Chinook Wawa from First Nations elders. The language is a remarkable mixture of Chinook, Nootka, Salishan, French, English and several other languages. It was spoken throughout the province just over 100 years ago. It was used in mills and canneries along the coast.
The Hastings Mill was the largest employer in early Vancouver and it functioned using Chinook Wawa. This makes it the original working language of Vancouver. Remnants exist in the vocabulary of older British Columbians[skookum, muckymuck, saltchuck] and in over 100 place names [Siwash Rock, Cultus Lake].
The goal is to revive a community of Chinook Wawa speakers and to reintroduce some vocabulary back into the consciousness of British Columbians.
Well, Vancouver seems to have it’s own version of English anyway with the U.S. influence that the rest of the country doesn’t get so much. When I moved here I was confused why people were wanting to order baking soda with their meal. It turns out that “soda” is what they call pop in the States and people in Vancouver also use that word. It’s easier to visit Seattle than Calgary so I guess it’s going to happen.
I’ve never heard anyone say Soda.