Wakashan
/wəˈkæʃən/noun
A language family of the Pacific Northwest, including Nuu-chah-nulth, Kwakw’ala, and several other Indigenous languages.
Did you know?The name ultimately comes from Nuu-chah-nulth wakash, meaning “good,” a term recorded by Captain James Cook and later used by linguists for the language family.
Etymological Timeline
18th Century
Nuu-chah-nulth
wakash
“Good; a positive expression recorded on the northwest coast of North America”
1778
English record
Wakash
“A form recorded during Captain James Cook’s encounters near Nootka Sound”
19th Century
English
Wakashan
“A linguistic label formed from Wakash to classify related Indigenous languages”
Late 19th Century
English
Wakashan family
“A proposed family grouping languages of Vancouver Island and the adjacent mainland”
Modern English
English
Wakashan
“Relating to the Wakashan language family or its languages”
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