Introduction to the study of Indian languages; with words, phrases, and sentences to be collected

John Wesley Powell

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• Langue: English
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SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY
J. W. POWELL DIRECTOR
INTRODUCTION
TO THE
STUDY OF INDIAN LANGUAGES
WITH
WORDS PHRASES AND SENTENCES TO BE COLLECTED
Y J.W: FOTVEL
SECOND EDITION WITH CHARTS
WASHINGTON
\-j4>
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
1880NOT FAIL TO FILL THIS BLANK.)(DO
Tribe,
Locality,
Recorded by
Date ofRecord,
IVIII,PREFACE.
the ten students of Indian havelanguages rapidlyDuring past years
When the author of this volume thebegan explorationmultiplied.
the of theof the Colorado River of the West under Smithsonianauspices
aProfessor as its recommendedInstitution, secretary, urgentlyHenry,
of the Indians of that the work wasstudy country, although organized
as a and The wasregion practi-primarily geographic geological survey.
and were lessunknown to white the Indians found thereinmen,cally
ofmodified the influences of civilization than others the Unitedby any
States. The inhabitants of the the membersbeing Indians,only country
asof the were thrown the more into contact withdirectly them,survey
in andtheir services were needed finding trails, fords, passes, watering
Under these circumstances favorable wereplaces. opportunities utilized,
and from time to time since then this work has until agradually expanded
Bureau of under the direction of the Smithsonian Institution,Ethnology,
has been law.organized by
In the mean the efforts of this in its varioustime, through organization
forms have been enlisted in the of North Americanmany persons study
and the branch has received attention.anthropology philologic special
To research it was found tointelligently prosecute linguistic necessary
make a of what had been done in this and afield,summary previously
classification the stocks of Northof America was undertaken.linguistic
In andthe of this work vocabularies from variousgrammarsprogress
sources have been studied and with the amount of mattercompared large
in from the assistants and collaborators with the Bureau. Thosepouring
in andthe work needed constant direction were callingengaged frequentlyPKEFAOE.Vl
an for anfor Thus there came to be demandurgentexplanations.
Indian In the 1877"Introduction to the ofStudy Languages." year
variousfirst edition was issued. The madethe students,byprogress
that a new edition beand the studies made the alikeauthor,by require
advanced wants and to the results ofto meet the more embodyprepared
the edition iswider studies. Under these circumstances present published.
to be a treatment of the ofIt does not philosophic subject language;purport
of Indian it is a series ofit is not a ;grammar tongues simplycomparative
almost found studentsof certain characteristics universally byexplanations
the of such a character asof Indian being expe-languages explanations
has shown would best meet the wants of at workrience persons practically
is ain with which are unfamiliar. The bookthe field on languages they
of for collectors.directionsbody
is that the of followed will leadIt believed schedules, seriatim,system
to the collection of thatthe student in a materials;linguisticproper way
will assist him in the difficulties whichthe overcomingexplanations given
and that the materials when collected will consti-he is sure to encounter ;
It has been the effort of thetute valuable contributions to philology.
of with the of other branchesauthor to connect the study language study
a is best understood when theof for customs,habits,languageanthropology,
of embodied in thetheinstitutions, subject-matter thoughtphilosophy,
student of should be a studentare best known. The languagelanguage
and to this end the book has beenthe who theof ;people speak language
to other branches ofwith hints and suggestions relatingmanyprepared,
anthropology.
author to the eminentIn the first edition the scholar,appealedpreparing
in an since thenProf. J. D. for assistance devising alphabet;Whitney,
of and afurther has demonstrated the somepropriety changesexperience
the For the as it is nowconsiderable of scheme. alphabetenlargement
but the writer isProfessor is not responsible, greatlypresented, Whitney
of the as it inindebted to him for the foundationlaying chapter appeared
the edition.previous
the fourthIn the second entitled "Hints and Suggestions,"chapter,
Hon. Lewissection embodies a series of the H.Morgan,questions preparedby