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Show * HINTS AND EXPLANATIONS. 73 performed. A strictly denotive name expresses no one quality or character, but embraces all qualities and characters. In Ute the name for bear is " he seizes," or " the hugger." In this case the verb is used for the noun, and in so doing the Indian names the bear by predicating one of his characteristics. Thus noun and verb are undifferentiated. In Seneca the north is " the sun never goes there," and this sentence may be used as adjective or noun; in such cases noun, adjective, verb, and adverb are found as one vocable or word, and the four parts of speech are undifferentiated. In the Pavant language a school-house is called P6- kilnt- In- Ift- yI- k& n. The first part of the word, p6- kfint, signifies " sorcery is practiced," and is the name given by the Indians to any writing from the fact that when they first learned of writing they supposed it to be a method of practicing sorcery; In- Ift- yl is the verb signifying " to count," and the meaning of the word has been extended so as to signify " to read"; " k& n" signifies wigwam, and is derived from the verb " k& ri," to stay." Thus the name of the school- house literally signifies " a staying place where sorcery is counted," or where papers are read. The Pavant in naming a school- house describes the purpose for which it is used. These examples illustrate the general characteristics of Indian nouns; they are excessively connotive; a simply denotive name is rarely found. In general their name- words predicate some attribute of the object named, and thus noun, adjective, and predicant are undifferentiated. In Indian languages nouns are highly connotive; in English, nouns are highly denotive. This connotive character of Indian nouns is well exemplified by the explanation given in section 2, where it is set forth that an Indian in speaking of the parts of the body says " my eye," " my hand," " my foot," " your eye," " your hand," " your foot," & c, and has no command of a fully differentiated noun expressive of eye, hand, or foot Similar facts are exemplified in section 17, where it is explained that kinship terms are usually found with attached possessive pronouns. As explained in section 26, there is found in many Indian languages a series of pronouns incorporated in verbs; that is, the verb contains within itself incorporated article pronouns which point out with great particularity the gender, number, and person of the subject and the object. In this |
