The American Indians Part 29

To avoid a repet.i.tion of forms, were the noun and the adjective both to be employed in their usual relation, the latter is endowed with a p.r.o.nominal, or substantive inflection. And the use of the noun, in its separate form, is thus wholly superceded. Thus onishishin, a. i. and onishishsha, a. a. become Wanishishing, that which is good, or fair, and Wanishishid, he who is good or fair. The following examples will exhibit this rule, under each of its forms.

Compound or Noun-Adjective Animate.

Black Mukkuddaw izzi Makuddaw izzid.

White Waubishk izzi Wyaubishk izzid.

Yellow Ozahw izzi Wazauw izzid.

Red Miskw izzi Mashk oozzid.

Strong Song izzi Song izzid.

Noun-Adjective Inanimate.

Black Mukkuddaw au Mukkuddaw aug.

White Waubishk au Wyaubishk aug.

Yellow Ozahw au Wazhauw aug.

Red Mishkw au Mishkw aug.

The animate forms in these examples will be recognized, as exhibiting a further extension of the rule, mentioned in the preceding chapter, by which substantives are formed from the indicative of the verb by a permutation of the vowels. And these forms are likewise rendered plural in the manner there mentioned. They also undergo changes to indicate the various persons. For instance onishisha is thus declined to mark the person.

Wanishish-eyaun I (am) good or fair.

Wanishish-eyun Thou (art) good or fair.

Wanishish-id He (is) good or fair.

Wanishish-eyang We (are) good or fair (ex.) Wanishish-eyung We (are) good or fair (in.) Wanishish-eyaig Ye (are) good or fair.

Wanishish-idigj They (are) good or fair.

The inanimate forms, being without person, are simply rendered plural by _in_, changing maiskwaug, to maiskwaug-in, &c., &c. The verbal signification which these forms a.s.sume, as indicated in the words am, art, is, are, is to be sought in the permutative change of the first syllable. Thus o is changed to wa, muk to mak, waub to wy-aub, ozau to wazau, misk to maisk, &c. The p.r.o.noun, as is usual in the double compounds, is formed wholly by the inflections eyaun, eyun, &c.

The strong tendency of the adjective to a.s.sume a personal, or p.r.o.nomico-substantive form, leads to the employment of many words in a particular, or exclusive sense. And in any future practical attempts with the language, it will be found greatly to facilitate its acquisition if the adjectives are arranged in distinct cla.s.ses, separated by this characteristic principle of their application. The examples we have given are chiefly those which may be considered strictly animate, or inanimate, admit of double forms, and are of general use. Many of the examples recorded in the original ma.n.u.scripts employed in these lectures, are of a more concrete character, and, at the same time, a more limited use. Thus shaugwewe, is a weak person, nokaugumme, a weak drink, nokaugwud, a weak, or soft piece of wood.

Sussagau, is fine, but can only be applied to personal appearance: beesau, indicates fine grains. Keewushkwa is giddy, and keewushkwabee, giddy with drink, both being restricted to the third person. Songun and songizzi, are the personal and impersonal forms of strong, as given above. But Mushkowaugumme, is strong drink. In like manner the two words for hard, as above, are restricted to solid substances. Sunnuhgud is hard (to endure,) waindud, is easy (to perform.) Songedaa is brave, Shaugedaa cowardly, keezhinzhowizzi, active, kizhekau, swift, onaunegoozzi lively, minwaindum happy, gushkwaindum, sorrowful, but all these forms are confined to the third person of the indicative, singular. Pibbigwau, is a rough or knotted substance. Pubbiggoozzi, a rough person. Keenwau is long, or tall, (any solid ma.s.s.) Kaynozid is a tall person. Tahkozid a short person. Wa.s.sayau is light; wa.s.saubizzoo, the light of the eye; wa.s.shauzha, the light of a star, or any luminous body. Keenau is sharp, keenaubikud, a sharp knife, or stone.

Keezhaubikeday, is hot metal, a hot stove, &c. Keezhaugummeda, is hot water. Aubudgeeton, is useful,--a useful thing. Wauweeug is frivolous, any thing frivolous in word, or deed. Tubbushish, appears to be a general term for low. Ishpimming is high in the air. Ishpau, is applied to any high fixture, as a house, &c. Ishpaubikau is a high rock.

Taushkaubikau, a split rock.

These combinations and limitations meet the inquirer at every step. They are the current phrases of the language. They present short, ready, and often beautiful modes of expression. But as they shed light, both upon the idiom and genius of the language, I shall not scruple to add further examples and ill.u.s.trations. Ask a Chippewa, the name for rock, and he will answer _awzhebik_. The generic import of aubik, has been explained.

Ask him the name for red rock, and he will answer miskwaubik,--for white rock, and he will answer waubaubik, for black rock mukkuddawaubik,--for yellow rock, ozahwaubik,--for green rock, ozhahwushkwaubik,--for bright rock, wa.s.sayaubik, for smooth rock, shoishkwaubik, &c., compounds in which the words red, white, black, yellow, &c., unite with aubik. Pursue this inquiry and the following forms will be elicited.

_Impersonal_.

Miskwaubik-ud. It (is) a red rock.

Waubaubik-ud. It (is) a white rock.

Mukkuddawaubik-ud. It (is) a black rock.

Ozahwaubik-ud. It (is) a yellow rock.

Wa.s.sayaubik-ud. It (is) a bright rock.

Shoiskwaubik-ud. It (is) a smooth rock.

_Personal_.

Miskwaubik-izzi. He (is) a red rock.

Waubaubik-izzi. He (is) a white rock.

Mukkuddawaubik-izzi. He (is) a black rock.

Ozahwaubik-izzi. He (is) a yellow rock.

Wa.s.sayaubik-izzi. He (is) a bright rock.

Shoiskwaubik-izzi. He (is) a smooth rock.

Add _bun_ to these terms, and they are made to have pa.s.sed away,--prefix _tah_ to them, and their future appearance is indicated.

The word "is" in the translations, although marked with brackets, is not deemed wholly gratuitous. There is, strictly speaking, an idea of existence given to these compounds, by the particle au in aubic, which seems to be indirectly a derivative from that great and fundamental root of the language iau. Bik, is, apparently, the radix of the expression for "rock."

Let this mode of interrogation be continued, and extended to other adjectives, or the same adjectives applied to other objects, and results equally regular and numerous will be obtained. Minnis, we shall be told, is an island: miskominnis, a red island; mukkaddaminnis, a black island; waubeminnis, a white island, &c. Annokwut, is a cloud; miskwaunakwut, a red cloud; mukkuddawukwut, a black cloud; waubahnokwut, a white cloud; ozahwushkwahnokwut, a blue cloud, &c. Neebe is the specific term for water; but is not generally used in combination with the adjective. The word _guma_, like _aubo_, appears to be a generic term for water, or potable liquids. Hence the following terms:--

Gitshee, Great. Gitshiguma, Great water.

Nokun, Weak. Nokauguma, Weak drink.

Mushkowau, Strong. Mushkowauguma, Strong drink.

Weeshkobun, Sweet. Weeshkobauguma, Sweet drink.

Sheewun, Sour. Sheewauguma, Sour drink.

Weesugun, Bitter. Weesugauguma, Bitter drink.

Minno, Good. Minwauguma, Good drink.

Monaudud Bad. Mahnauguma, Bad drink.

Miskwau, Red. Miskwauguma, Red drink.

Ozahwau, Yellow. Ozahwauguma, Yellow drink.

Weenun, Dirty. Weenauguma, Dirty water.

Peenud, Clear. Peenauguma, Clear Water.

From minno, and from monaudud, good and bad, are derived the following terms. Minnopogwud, it tastes well; minnopogoozzi, he tastes well.

Mauzhepogwud, it tastes bad; mawzhepogoozzi, he tastes bad.

Minnomaugwud, it smells good; minnomaugoozzi, he smells good; magghemaugawud, it smells bad; mawhemaugoozzi, he smells bad. The inflections gwud, and izzi, here employed, are clearly indicative, as in other combinations, of the words it and _him_.

Baimwa is sound. Baimwawa, the pa.s.sing sound. Minwawa, a pleasant sound.

Maunwawa, a disagreeable sound. Mudwayaushkau, the sound of waves dashing on the sh.o.r.e. Mudwayaunnemud, the sound of winds. Mudway au kooskau, the sound of falling trees. Mudwak.u.migishin, the sound of a person falling upon the earth. Mudwaysin, the sound of any inanimate ma.s.s falling on the earth. These examples might be continued ad infinitum. Every modification of circ.u.mstances--almost every peculiarity of thought is expressed by some modification of the orthography. Enough has been given to prove that the adjective combines itself with the substantive, the verb and the p.r.o.noun--that the combinations thus produced are numerous, afford concentrated modes of conveying ideas, and oftentimes happy terms of expression. Numerous and prevalent as these forms are, they do not, however, preclude the use of adjectives in their simple forms. The use of the one, or of the other appears to be generally at the option of the speaker. In most cases brevity or euphony dictates the choice. Usage results from the application of these principles. There may be rules resting upon a broader basis, but if so, they do not appear to be very obvious. Perhaps the simple adjectives are oftenest employed before verbs and nouns, in the first and second persons singular.

Ningee minno neebau-nabun, I have slept well.

Ningee minno weesin, I have eaten a good meal.

Ningee minno pimmoossay, I have walked well, or a good distance.

Kagat minno geeghigud, It (is) a very pleasant day.

Kwunaudj ninG.o.dahs, I have a handsome garment.

Ke minno iau nuh? Are you well?

Auncende ain deyun? What ails you?

Keezhamonedo aupadushshawainenik, G.o.d prosper you.

Aupadush Shawaindaugoozzeyun, Good luck attend you.

Aupadush nau kinwainzh pimmaudizziyun, May you live long.

Onauneegoozzin, Be (thou) cheerful.

Ne miuwaindum waub.u.maun, I (am) glad to see you.

Kwanaudj Kweeweezains, A pretty boy.

Kagat Songeedaa, He (is) a brave man.

Kagat onishishsha, She (is) handsome.

Gitshee kinozee, He (is) very tall.

Uggausau bawizzi, She (is) slender.

Gitshee sussaigau, He (is) fine dressed.

Bishegaindaugooziwug meegwunug, They (are) beautiful feathers.

Ke daukoozzinuh? Are you sick?

Monaudud maundun muskeekee, This (is) bad medicine.

Monaudud aindauyun, My place of dwelling (is) bad.

Aindauyaun mitshau, My place of dwelling is large.

Ne mittigwaub onishishsha, My bow (is) good.

Ne bikwukon monaududon, But my arrows (are) bad.