Transcription

 to come,6
EXAMPLE

Delaware dialect. K'dahola. Thou lovest him or her.
Aboriginal N.S.W. Dialect. Bunnunbinung. Thou will beat him. Bunnunbinonn. Thou will beat her.
The construction is Bun, the root of the verb to smite; nun, denotes futurity; bi the verbal pronoun thou; nung, the pronoun him, in the objective case, and the termination noun in the second example is part of bounnoun, the feminine pronoun her in the objective case. Thus the Blacks carry out the Dual beyond any known language in the world whether Ancient, or, Modern.
In the specimen of the Massachusetts language there are two similarities one in the "Relative" form: Eloweya, (as or what I say) from n'dellowe, I say. Now, wi, pronounced as the English pronoun we, shortening the vowel sound, is the root of the Aboriginal Verb, to speak, to tell, to say, to converse, &c. according to the governing modifications denoted by the particles attached, &c. &c. and in the "Relative" modification of the Verb would stand thus: Yun-ti bang wi-yan, as  or what I say. So in the Massachusetts term the "Social" form; Witeen, or Wideen (to go with) from n'da, or n'ta (I go) the Blacks would say, waita bali, I go with thee, or we two will go now together; Waita bung, would mean, I go by myself; Waita bali noa, he and I go together; Waita bali bountoa, She and I go together. To say I go, emphatically, meaning no other but myself would be Ngatoa waita uwanun; construed thus; Ngaloa the personal pronoun I, waita, to go, to depart, uwanun the verb of motion, to come or to go, according as the word waita, to go; or tanam to come is attached to govern the meaning. The Tahitians have a similarity of form in the expression Haers to come, or to go, according as the particle mai, or atu is attached, thus: Haere mai, come: Haere atu, go.
The numerous conjugations of the Massachusetts noticed by Mr. Eliot in his grammar is remarkably exemplified in the dialect of these Blacks, which I have traced out to the same number, viz: eight modifications of the Verb as they are termed in the Australian grammar. Mr. Zeisberger has divided the Delaware language into eight conjugations of Verbs. The tenses are not confined simply to past, present, and future; but have a present denoted by the termination an for the verb and lin for the participle, as: wigan bung, I speak now. Wiyellin, speaking now, then there is a difinite past Wiyaheun, have spoken, this morning. Wiyelliheun, have been speaking, this morning; denoted by the particle heun; and an indefinite past past wiyu, told or spoke. Wiyelliella spake, terminating in a, besides the usual variations in the past tense. There is also a variety in the future, as: Wiyelliholang, to be about to speak. Weyelli from the infinitive in regimen, wiyelliho, for to speak, and halfrag, towards; which might be termed Inceptive. Then there is a definite future, as: Wiyakin, shall or will speak to morrow morning, besides , an indefinite future, as: Wiyannum shall or will speak, some time or other, which ends in nun. These peculiar tenses are not noticed in the Indian Languages, and therefore it is presumed they are peculiar to the Aborigines of this Land.
It is pleasing to discover that the plan on which was formed the Grammar of the Australian language is now found to be in accordance with the remarks of the Venerable Eliot made more than a Century and a half ago, that "The manner of the formation of the nouns and verbs have such a latitude of use, that there needeth little other Syntax in the Language." But I regret to record from information received from the two American Gentlemen who visited this establishment, that there is only one Indian alive, who can read that language which cost Eliot so much pains; and I am fully persuaded, that, unless a Special Providence interfere, there will not be an Aborigine left in these districts , in the course of a few years, acquainted with the language which has cost me so much anxiety, and so many years of my life to obtain knowledge thereof.
The language of the Cherokee Indians appears to be similar in some of its peculiarities of construction with the Aborigines of this Country, as in the following specimens of the Dual:-

Cherokee              ( Inaluiha we two (i.e. Thou and I) are tying it
                              ( Awstaluiha we two (i.e. He and I) are tying it.
Aboriginal              ( Ngirullilia bali, we two, thou and I are tying it
N.S.Wales             ( Ngirullilin bali nou, we two, He and I are tying it.
Cherokee              ( "Kinitawtu Our Father, (i.e. of the eand me.)"
                              (  "Awhinitawtu, Our Father, (i.e. of him and me.)"
                            ( Biyungbaingalinbu, Our Father of thee and me.
Aboriginal            ( Biyungbaingalinba bon, Our Father of him and me.
New South          ( Binyungbai ngallinba bounnounba Our Father of her and me.
Wales                  ( Biyungbai ngearunba, Our Father of us all
                              ( To toua Medua, Our Father of thee and me.
Tahitian                  ( To moun Medua, Our Father of him and me
                              ( To Matou Medua, Our Father of us who speak.
                              ( To tatou Medua, Our Father of us all.
Cherokee habitual ( "Galuiya, I tie, or am tying it, Common form.
form of the verb     ( Galungihaw-i, means I tie habitually."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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