Opening the text

The American Race: A Linguistic Classification and Ethnographic Description of the Native Tribes of North and South AmericaBrinton, Daniel G. (Daniel Garrison)

History

The American Race: A Linguistic Classification and Ethnographic Description of the Native Tribes of North and South America

Name: The American Race: A Linguistic Classification and Ethnographic Description of the Native Tribes of North and South America
Author: Brinton, Daniel G. (Daniel Garrison)

Brinton, Daniel G. (Daniel Garrison)

Indians; Indians -- Languages

Dr. Max Uhle, in a late essay, has collected numerous verbal identities
between the various Guaymi and Talamanca dialects on the one hand, and
the Aroac and Chibcha on the other, including most of the simple numerals
and many words besides those which would be likely to be introduced by
commerce. Not stopping with this, he has successfully developed a variety
of laws of vowel and consonant changes in the dialects, which bring the
resemblance of the two groups into strong relief and do away with much of
their seeming diversity. Moreover, he points out that the terminations of
the present and imperative are identical, and the placement of words in
the sentence alike in both. These and his other arguments are sufficient,
I think, to establish his thesis; and I am at greater pains to set it
forth, as I regard it as one of unusual importance in its bearing on the
relations which existed in pre-historic times between tribes along the
boundary of the two continents.

As to the course of migration, I do not think that the discussion of the
dialectic changes leaves any room for doubt. They all indicate attrition
and loss of the original form as we trace them from South into North
America; evidently the wandering hordes moved into the latter from the
southern continent. So far, there is no evidence that any North American
tribe migrated into South America.

To illustrate these points I quote from Uhle’s tables the following:

_Comparison of the Chibcha with the Costa Rican Dialects._

(T. = Talamanca. G. = Guaymi.)

                      CHIBCHA.       COSTA RICA.

    Head,           _zysqui_,      _dzekung_, T., _thokua_, G.
    Ear,            _cuhuca_,      _kuku_, T.
    Tongue,         _pcua_,        _ku_, T.
    Breasts,        _chue_,        _tsu_, T.
    Navel,          _mue_,         _mbwo_, T.
    Foot,           _quihyca_,     _ketscha_, T.
    Bird,           _sue_,         _du_, T., _nukua_, G.
    Fish,           _gua_,         _gua_, G.
    Snake,          _tacbi_,       _thekebe_, G.
    Ant,            _ize_,         _tsa_, T.
    Maize,          _aba_,         _ep_, T.
    Stone,          _hyca_,        _hak_, T.
    Water,          _sie_,         _di_, T., _chi_, G.
    Sun,            _sua_,         _chui_, G.
    House,          _güe_,         _hu_, T., _xu_, G.
    Comb,           _cuza_,        _kasch_, T.
    One,            _ata_,         _et_, T., _ti_, G.
    Two,            _boza_,        _bu_, T., _bu_, G.
    Three,          _mica_,        _mia_, T., _mai_, G.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

The American Race: A Linguistic Classification and Ethnographic Description of the Native Tribes of North and South AmericaBrinton, Daniel G. (Daniel Garrison)

History

The American Race: A Linguistic Classification and Ethnographic Description of the Native Tribes of North and South America

Brinton, Daniel G. (Daniel Garrison)

Indians; Indians -- Languages

Dr. Max Uhle, in a late essay, has collected numerous verbal identities
between the various Guaymi and Talamanca dialects on the one hand, and
the Aroac and Chibcha on the other, including most of the simple numerals
and many words besides those which would be likely to be introduced by
commerce. Not stopping with this, he has successfully developed a variety
of laws of vowel and consonant changes in the dialects, which bring the
resemblance of the two groups into strong relief and do away with much of
their seeming diversity. Moreover, he points out that the terminations of
the present and imperative are identical, and the placement of words in
the sentence alike in both. These and his other arguments are sufficient,
I think, to establish his thesis; and I am at greater pains to set it
forth, as I regard it as one of unusual importance in its bearing on the
relations which existed in pre-historic times between tribes along the
boundary of the two continents.

As to the course of migration, I do not think that the discussion of the
dialectic changes leaves any room for doubt. They all indicate attrition
and loss of the original form as we trace them from South into North
America; evidently the wandering hordes moved into the latter from the
southern continent. So far, there is no evidence that any North American
tribe migrated into South America.

To illustrate these points I quote from Uhle’s tables the following:

_Comparison of the Chibcha with the Costa Rican Dialects._

(T. = Talamanca. G. = Guaymi.)

                      CHIBCHA.       COSTA RICA.

    Head,           _zysqui_,      _dzekung_, T., _thokua_, G.
    Ear,            _cuhuca_,      _kuku_, T.
    Tongue,         _pcua_,        _ku_, T.
    Breasts,        _chue_,        _tsu_, T.
    Navel,          _mue_,         _mbwo_, T.
    Foot,           _quihyca_,     _ketscha_, T.
    Bird,           _sue_,         _du_, T., _nukua_, G.
    Fish,           _gua_,         _gua_, G.
    Snake,          _tacbi_,       _thekebe_, G.
    Ant,            _ize_,         _tsa_, T.
    Maize,          _aba_,         _ep_, T.
    Stone,          _hyca_,        _hak_, T.
    Water,          _sie_,         _di_, T., _chi_, G.
    Sun,            _sua_,         _chui_, G.
    House,          _güe_,         _hu_, T., _xu_, G.
    Comb,           _cuza_,        _kasch_, T.
    One,            _ata_,         _et_, T., _ti_, G.
    Two,            _boza_,        _bu_, T., _bu_, G.
    Three,          _mica_,        _mia_, T., _mai_, G.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The American Race: A Linguistic Classification and Ethnographic Description of the Native Tribes of North and South America

The American Race: A Linguistic Classification and Ethnographic Description of the Native Tribes of North and South America

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