“Kinnikinnick“
I first saw and heard this word when I was a kid vacationing in the mountains near Estes Park, Colo. I’ve loved it ever since. It’s fun to see and fun to say. I don’t know why. It just is.
It’s a bush (shrub?) that grows in the mountains. Glossy green leaves with red berries. Also called bearberry. If I’ve seen it, I didn’t know it at the time. You can look up all the botanical details if you’re interested.
I’ve seen it spelled kinnikinnick, kinnickinnick, kinnikinnic, kinnikinic, etc. Don’t know if those were typos or what, but the first is the correct spelling (I think).
The pronunciation varies a bit, too. The first, below, is the closest I found to how I’ve always pronounced it. Or, if you’re into this sort of thing, there’s this: /ˌkɪ.nɪ.kɪˈnɪk/,[1] /ˌkɪ.nɪ.kəˈnɪk/,[1][2] /ˈkɪ.nɪ.kəˌnɪk/[2] (Thank goodness, once again, for internet sound and computer speakers.)
It would be interesting, I think, to hear it pronounced by someone seeing it for the first time.
Anyway, it’s always been one of my favorite words.
That’s all. I’ve been watching old episodes of “Alone” and heard it last night for the first time in many years.
This definitely caught my attention with this bearberry . Thanks for sharing this. Anita
You’re welcome. 🙂
wow, what a great word
💜
That’s easily the best post on taxonomy that I’ve read ! 😀
Dunno about that. But if you say so … 🤔
Ignore me: I’m a terrible wanker. [grin]
😜
I’ve always loved kinnikinnick. I read someplace that it’s an indigenous name, but I don’t know what it means.
I was reading earlier today which tribes it’s from, but don’t recall anything else about it offhand. Now you’ve made me curious.
Dictionary.com says it’s “a mixture of bark, dried leaves, and sometimes tobacco, formerly smoked by the Indians and pioneers in the Ohio valley.” Different sources attribute the word to different tribes, different locales.
Hey, I know that shrub!! I’ve been missing my hiking trips, but you brought one of my favorites right to the laptop. 🙂
I haven’t been hiking for a number of years now, but I’d certainly be watching for this now if I were out on a trail again.