I sing to cause dancing-nanahooahdwa. I sing well-noorinto. I sing badly-nematsintoo. I sing the death song-nametsitsintoo. I sing too low-noossonmepeooandwa. I sing treble-napeewandwa. I sing bass-namessond wa. I take the notes, I give the air-nadarahronmootahmen. I sing to lull the child to sleep-nadattoomonsee. I sing in sleeping-naneepanto. Let us sing together-manoointoodah. Let us sing together throughout-ahasoointoodah. I sing in Iroquois-namagooahantoo. I sing in Algonquin-noosonghenahantoo. I sing in response to the song-natasookanatoobena. These remarks may have become very tedious, although by far insufficient to the purpose. Having exhibited some particu lars in regard to the verb in the Norridgewock language, I will omit to prolong the investigation further by notices of other particulars, which could only be entertaining to those who take pleasure in studying the philosophy of grammar and the construction of languages. Knowing, however, how very important this subject is by many considered to be, I shall annex a short vocabulary. It may be proper here to observe that the medium of communication with the Abenaquis was not exclusively oral, as perhaps it never has been with any savages. The natural propensity to imitate is not confined to oral sounds, but as strongly applies to pictured representation, and the language of visible signs is, although more limited, as much the language of nature as that by those addressed only to the ear. Hence every savage, in situations in which he cannot use the latter, applies to his means to communicate by the former. Having little commerce, and of course but rarely occasion for the transmission of intelligence by signs to the eye, those means have always remained exceedingly rude. They were only used to a very restricted extent. At a particular time Father Ràle, a well known Catholic missionary among the Norridgewocks, was absent from the post which he usually occupied so long that one of the savages was persuaded he was dead. Believing that he had fallen into the hands of his enemies, the same savage determined to communicate the intelligence to his tribe, and taking a piece of bark from what is usually called paper birch, (betula papyracea,) he painted with a coal Father Ràle upon it, surrounded by the English, with his head cut off by one of them. This letter he attached to a stake on the bank of the river to inform the traveler of the event supposed to have happened. The Amalingans were a tribe who settled in the vicinity of the Norridgewocks during the period of Father Ràle's mission among them. We learn, from the "Lettres Edifiantes," that the former of the tribes mentioned, practiced in their communications with other tribes, the sending of belts on which were placed various figures made with small pieces of shell of different colors, by which to instruct their messengers and preserve in their recollection the objects of the embassy. Lescarbot also informs us that the Armouchiquois, before mentioned as Indians who lived within the present territory of Maine, practiced painting and sculpture, and made images of beasts, birds, and men on stone and wood as handsomely as good workmen in France. Dart, metahooahkoo. Child, aooansis. Orphan boy, keeahpes. Tempest, kesontgwee. Male Deer, aianba-norka. [So of the Moose, &c.] Male Bear, nanooaskoo. Right or correct, sassagheooe. Black, mkahzaooeghen. All, messeewee. Transparent, asonbahmagooek. I play, nadanmka. I die, nametsena. I weep, nazaskadamee. I am silent, netseekapee. Mortified, as I am, at the poverty of means of communicating information, notwithstanding many inquiries, I shall make no further remarks, as to the language of the Penobscots or Passamaquoddies. The literary men of the State, who have had the opportunity, ought to be depended upon for further developments, which it would be injustice to them to suppose they are unable to make. THE MICMACS. It is said by Charlevoix that the Micmacs were closely connected with the Abenaquis by language, as well as by interest and religion. It is evident that such remarks upon language are often very carelessly dropped; and although we may be willing to yield to philologists who would have us believe that tongues, apparently as variant as the most incongruous objects, are radically the same, we must be permitted to exercise our common sense in determining the analogies and repugnances between visible signs. In the vocabularies of the Abenaquis and Micmacs few words are similar, and in the grammar of those different languages there is also considerable diversity. Without pretending to analyze as to the euphony, powers, and general structure of each, so as to present a full comparative view, a few illustrations as to this curious subject of inquiry may be amusing. I begin with an example of the inflexions in the conjugation. of the verb-For example, *[In this example of a Micmac verb of the first conjugation, as given with some variations in the manuscripts of the Abbé Maillard, the diphthong 00 represents the French ou. The horizontal line over the second o [-] denotes that the diphthong receives the accent. Where o single follows the diphthong, it is to be sounded long and separately. Ed.] The subjunctive negative is formed by prefixing moo, without changing the termination. 2 Keloogiachen, Si J'avois été bon. 1 Keloōgikoochen Keloogicheben. 3 Keloōgichen. Keloōgicheben. 2 Keloōgiockcheben. 3 Keloōgitichen. INFINITIVE-Keloōgimk-être bon. PERFECT-Keloōgimkchep-avoir été bon. FUTURE-Keloōgiden-on sera bon. Conditional-Keloōgimkechen-si t'on avoit été bon. Keloōginech-on seroit bon. Keloōginechok-on auroit été bon. |