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Show 30 INTKODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF INDIAN LANGUAGES. feature with which the people are familiar, especially the mountains, rocks, trees, rivers, falls, springs, lakes, & c. § 15.- GEOGRAPHIC NAMES. A very interesting field of investigation is found in learning the proper names given by the Indians to the several springs, rivers, lakes, mountains, indentations of the coast, & c, known to them. § 16.- THE FIRMAMENT, METEOROLOGIO AND OTHER PHYSICAL PHENOMENA AND OBJECTS. Indians usually have many names for clouds, as they are distinguished by color, form, & c. As full a list as possible, with description, should be obtained. In Indian mythology the stars are personages translated from the earth to the firmament. The personages were usually ancient animals, sometimes ancient men. Many interesting myths can be found concerning these ancient people, and why they were taken from earth to heaven. The names of the stars and constellations recognized by the Indians should be given. Like the stars, the sun and moon are translated personages. In every tribe an interesting myth may be found explaining the phases of the moon and the dim figures seen therein. The return of the sun and moon from west to east always has a mythic explanation. § 17- KINSHIP. Indian society is based on kinship. For this reason the terms used to designate kinship are of much greater importance in tribal society than in national society. The group of words used to designate persons by their degrees of relationship will constitute a valuable contribution to linguistic science and at the same time will be of great interest to the student of Indian society. If we take the relationships which may arise from nine generations in lineal descent we find their number to be very great- several thousand in all. A language which would attempt to give a distinct name for each par- |
