The American Nations, Vol. I.: Or, Outlines of a National History of the Ancient and Modern Nations of North and South AmericaRafinesque, C. S. (Constantine Samuel)
History
The American Nations, Vol. I.: Or, Outlines of a National History of the Ancient and Modern Nations of North and South America
Rafinesque, C. S. (Constantine Samuel)
Indians; Indians -- Origin; Taino Indians; Taino language
By a careful analytical process I have been able to decompose the compound
words, and even reach their monosyllabic roots. All the long words can be
thus analyzed, and show that this compound form only arises, as usual in
American languages, by the blunders of the Spanish writers, who wrote long
words instead of short ones; blending articles and affixes. The Haytian
thus analyzed and reduced is a very simple language, approximating to the
primitive and oriental forms, wherein short monosyllables of generic
import, formed the base of the speech, and became modified by union and
relative position.
By these means the following essential roots of the language have been
collected, and are given to help future similar investigations of American
languages.
Examples of composition.
_Cazabi_ Bread. _Ca-za-bi_ soil-fruitful-life.
_Manati_ Sea cow. _Ma-na-ti_ great-thing-eminent.
_Turei_ Heaven. _T’ur-ei_ Thou-light-be.
_Furzidi_ Cloudy. _Fur-zi-di_ gloom-it-is-day. (or now)
_Areiti_ Song, rites. _A-rei-ti_ of reality eminent.
_Nanichi_ Soul. _Na-ni-chi_ thing the active.
_Maroyo_ Moon. _Ma-ro-yo_ great lovely.
74 essential monosyllabic roots of this language or genera of ideas.
A, Of, as, like.
AC, Holy, sacred, religious.
AM, Water, root, plenty.
AN, Male thing, man, people, folk.
AT, One, alone, first, unic.
BA, Father, ancestor, dwelling.
BAL, Raft, floating, wave, sea.
BAN, Wind, air.
BAO, Music, lyre, instrument.
BAT, Beating, game, play, ball.
BEM, Second, double, twin, two, next.
BI, Life, wife, mother.
BOA, Habitation, house.
BOR, Labor, work, vassal, service.
CA, Land, soil, earth, dry.
CAN, Fish, swift, bad.
CHI, Active, soul, work, wine, lively.
CHON, Hot, dry, fever.
CHUC, Take, grasp, hold.
CO, Soil, fruitful, fountain, dog, thread.
COAI, Joy, delight, happiness.
CU, Chapel, altar, hearth, fire, all.
CUS, Worm, creeping.
DI, Day, now, actual.
DUH, Wealth, riches, treasures, property.
EI, Existence, to be.
EL, Son, tribe, child, he is.
FUR, Gloom, dark, cloud, fury.
GIA, Fowl, bird, flying.
GUA, Such, this, that, these, those.
GUEY, Shell, hollow, closed.
HA, Yes, sure, certain.
HI, The, indication, here.
HIO, House, hut, cottage.
HUIB, Head.
I, The, sign of life and action.
IO, God, the living-type.
IT, Man, male.
IN, Woman, female.
IZ, Eyes, looks.
L’, LI, He, she, they, his &c., oft. changed to Y.
MA, Great, big, larger, increase, mothers, water &c.
MAS, Food, to eat &c.
MI, M’, Me, my, mine.
NA, Thing, bloom, lizard.
NI, N’, The thing, my thing.
NO, NOA, Boat, navigation, noble.
O, Like, similar, akin.
OB, Copper, yellow.
OP, Dead.
PU, Wood, purple.
RA, REI, Real, rite, evidence, offspring.
RIS, Red.
RO, Love, belove.
RI, Male, people, men.
SOR, West, Eve, late, far.
TOA, Breast, milk.
TI, High, lofty, eminent.
TAB, Tube, pipe.
TAI, TIAO, Brother, friend, good.
TOC, Rest, peace, quiet.
UA, Old, ancient.
UR, Light.
UT, Rabbits.
VA, Cave, hollow, father, origin.
VAR, War, warrior.
XAU, Cake, baked, bread.
XI, Strong, pungent, pepper.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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