Article

An analysis of the names for Mount Rainier

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Abstract

txʷəl tiił qa tudᶻaladub, qa tiił ʔaciłtalbixʷ yəxʷ tiił xʷəł ʔaciłtalbixʷ gʷəl łələhuyat txʷəl kʷi gʷəsʔay’gʷəsəd ti sdaʔ ʔə Mount Rainier txʷəl tiił gʷəł ʔaciłtalbixʷ sdaʔ (Carson, 2010; Changing the Name of Mount Rainier?, n.d.; Herbert Hoover Petition Signature Photo, 1926; Wickersham & Tacoma Academy Of Science, 1893). ʔal ti suhuyatils həlgʷəʔ, ʔuhayalbut həlgʷəʔ ʔuləhaydxʷ qa tiił sdadaʔ yəxʷ tiił sx̌udx̌ud txʷəl Mount Rainier gʷəl qa ti tusutulutəbs. ti dəxʷəsʔistəʔ gʷəl ʔučałabid stabəxʷ kʷi gʷəł ʔaciłtalbixʷ tusdaʔ ʔə Mount Rainier gʷəl ʔəsx̌id kʷi łusx̌alads.

ʔal ti dišəʔ sx̌al, łulaʔad čəd tiił qa sdadaʔ yəxʷ tiił sx̌udx̌ud txʷəl Mount Rainier yəxʷ ti sutulutəbs, čədə łuʔugʷusbid ʔəsx̌id kʷi gʷəsux̌alatəbs. ƛ’al łubəʔugʷusbid čəd ʔəsx̌id kʷi gʷəsusik’ʷidčəł tiił sdadaʔs yəxʷ tiił sx̌udx̌uds čədə łubəʔugʷusbid ti sx̌əčalbs. huy łux̌aladəxʷ čəd ʔəsx̌id kʷi gʷəsʔuʔay’gʷəstəb ʔə tiił tuʔaciłtalbixʷ x̌əč ti sutulutəbs.

Over the years, there have been frequent attempts to rename Mount Rainier to its Indigenous name by both Native and non-Native parties (Carson, 2010; Changing the Name of Mount Rainier?, n.d.; Herbert Hoover Petition Signature Photo, 1926; Wickersham & Tacoma Academy Of Science, 1893). Through these endeavors, it has become apparent that Mount Rainier has a variety of Native names and words associated with it written in various ways that have an assortment of meanings. The result is often a lack of clarity as to what the original, Indigenous name is for Mount Rainier, and how it should be written.

In this article I will present the various names and words associated with Mount Rainier and their written forms. I will then present etymological (grammar) and diachronic (historical evolution) analyses for these names. I will then discuss metaphorical meanings that have attached to these words that reflect the First People’s cultural narratives and world view of Mount Rainier.

Keywords: Mount Rainier, name, salishan languages, Ichishkíin, Chinuk Wawa, language, diachronic analysis

How to Cite:

Zahir, Z., (2025) “An analysis of the names for Mount Rainier”, Living Languages 3(2), 126–161. doi: https://doi.org/10.7275/livinglanguages.2019