The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. 7: Quebec, Hurons, Cape Breton, 1634-1635
History
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. 7: Quebec, Hurons, Cape Breton, 1634-1635
Canada -- History -- To 1763 (New France); Indians of North America -- Canada; Jesuits -- Missions; Jesuits -- North America
This is enough to show the richness of their language; if I were
thoroughly acquainted with it, I would speak with more certainty.
I believe they have other riches which I have not been able to
discover up to the present.
I'oubliois à dire que nos Montagnais n'ont pas tant de lettres en leur
Alphabeth, que nous en auons au nostre, ils confondent le B. & le P.
ils confondent [182] aussi le C. le G. & le K. c'est à dire que deux
Sauuages prononçans vn mesme mot, vous croiriez que l'vn prononce vn B.
& que l'autre prononce vn P. que l'vn dit vn C. ou vn K. & l'autre vn
G. ils n'ont point les lettres F, L, V consonante, X. Z. ils prononcent
vn R. au lieu d'vn L. ils diront Monsieur du Pressi pour Monsieur du
Plessi, ils prononcent vn P. au lieu d'vn V. consonante, Monsieur
Olipier pour Monsieur Oliuier; mais comme ils ont la langue assez
bien penduë, ils prendroient bientost nostre prononciation si on les
instruisoit, notamment les enfans.
I forgot to say that the Montagnais have not so many letters in
their Alphabet as we have in ours; they confound B and P, and [182]
also C, G, and K; that is, if two Savages were to pronounce the
same word, you would think that one was pronouncing a B, and the
other a P, or that one was using a C or K, and the other a G. They
do not have the letters F, L, consonant V, X, and Z. They use R
instead of L, saying Monsieur du Pressi for Monsieur du Plessi;[2]
they utter the sound of P instead of consonant V, Monsieur Olipier
instead of Monsieur Olivier. But, as their tongues are quite
flexible, they will soon acquire our pronunciation if they are
instructed, especially the children.
Le P. Brebeuf m'a dit que les Hurons n'ont point de M. dequoy ie
m'estonne: car ceste lettre me semble quasi naturelle, tant l'vsage en
est grand.
Father Brebeuf tells me that the Hurons have no M, at which I
am astonished, for this letter seems to me almost natural, so
extensively is it used.
Que si pour conclusion de ce Chapitre V. R. me demande si i'ay beaucoup
auancé dans la cognoissance de ceste langue pendant mon hyuernement
auec ces Barbares, ie luy diray ingenuëment que non: en voicy les
raisons.
Now if, as conclusion of this Chapter, Your Reverence asks me if
I made much progress in the knowledge of this language during the
winter I spent with these Barbarians, I answer frankly, "no;" and
here are the reasons.
Premierement, le deffaut de ma memoire que ne fut iamais bien
excellente, [183] & qui se va deseichant tous les iours. O l'excellent
homme pour ces pays icy que le Pere Brebeuf, sa memoire tres-heureuse,
sa douceur tres-aymable, feront de grands fruicts dedans les Hurons.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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