salal

Where does the word "salal" come from? It comes from Lower Chinook sálal, passing through Chinook Jargon before entering English (1814).

Salal’s story begins in Lower Chinook: sálal meant “a berry-producing evergreen shrub.” Named the leathery-leaved shrub with edible dark berries. By 1800s, the word had taken hold in Chinook Jargon as salal. Carried into the Pacific Northwest trade language spoken by explorers and traders. It reached English by 1814 as salal. Recorded in English by botanist David Douglas during his expeditions in the Pacific Northwest. Today, salal means a Pacific Northwest evergreen shrub with edible dark berries and leathery leaves used in floral arrangements.

1. Stage 1 · Lower Chinook · pre-1800s sálal "a berry-producing evergreen shrub", named the leathery-leaved shrub with edible dark berries.
2. Stage 2 · Chinook Jargon · 1800s salal "a shrub with edible berries, valued by coastal peoples", carried into the Pacific Northwest trade language spoken by explorers and traders.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1814 salal "a native Pacific Northwest shrub with edible dark purple berries", recorded in English by botanist David Douglas during his expeditions in the Pacific Northwest.