The American Indians: Their History, Condition and Prospects, from Original Notes and ManuscriptsSchoolcraft, Henry Rowe
History
The American Indians: Their History, Condition and Prospects, from Original Notes and Manuscripts
Schoolcraft, Henry Rowe
Indians of North America
The particle _suh_ added to the complete forms of the disjunctive
pronouns, imparts a verbal sense to them; and appears in this instance,
to be a succedaneum for the substantive verb. Thus Neen, I, becomes
Neensuh, it is I. Keen, thou, becomes Keensuh, it is thou, and Ween, he
or she, Weensuh, it is he or she. This particle may also be added to the
plural forms.
Keenowind suh. It is we (in.)
Neenowind suh. It is we (ex.)
Keenowa suh. It is ye, or you.
Weenowau suh. It is they.
If the word _aittah_ be substituted for _suh_, a set of adverbial
phrases are formed.
Neen aittah. I only. Neen aittah wind. We &c. (ex.)
Keen aittah wind, We &c. (in.)
Keen aittah, Thou only. Keen aittah wau, You &c.
Ween aittah, He or she only. Ween aittah wau, They &c.
In like manner _nittum_ first, and _ishkwaudj_ last, give rise to the
following arrangement of the pronoun:
Neen nittum, I first.
Keen nittum, You or thou first.
Ween nittum, He or she first.
Keen nittum ewind, We first, (in.)
Neen nittum ewind, We first, (ex.)
Keen nittum ewau, Ye or you first.
Ween nittum ewau, They first.
ISHKWAUDJ.
Neen ishkwaudj, I last,
Keen ishkwaudj, Thou last.
Ween ishkwandj, He or she last.
Keenowind ishkwaudj, We last (in.)
Neenowind ishkwaudj, We last (ex.)
Keenowau ishkwaudj, Ye or you last.
Weenowau ishkwaudj, They last.
The disjunctive forms of the pronoun are also sometimes preserved before
verbs and adjectives.
NEEZHIKA. Alone, (_an_.)
Neen neezhika, I alone.
Keen neezhika, Thou alone.
Ween neezhika, He or she alone.
Keenowind neezhika, We alone (in.)
Neenowind neezhika, We alone (ex.)
Keenowau neezhika, Ye or you alone.
Weenowau neezhika, They alone.
To give these expressions a verbal form, the substantive verb, with its
pronominal modifications, must be superadded. For instance, _I am_
alone, &c., is thus rendered:
Neen neezhika nindyau, I am alone, x aumin.
Keen neezhika keedyau, Thou art alone, x aum.
Ween neezhika Iyau, He or she is alone, &c., x wug.
In the subjoined examples the noun ow, body, is changed to a verb, by
the permutation of the vowel, changing ow to auw, which last takes the
letter d before it, when the pronoun is prefixed.
I am a man, Neen nin dauw.
Thou art a man, Keen ke dauw.
He is a man, Ween ah weeh.
We are men, (in.) Ke dauw we min.
We are men, (ex.) Ne dauw we min.
Ye are men, Ke dauw min.
They are men, Weenowau ah weeh wug.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account