Compare also the incorporated adverbs on p. 341. 



A VMEBALS 



The numerical system of Tepecano follows that of Tepehuane 

 closely as far as five, but from here on departs from the decimal 

 system of Tepehuane and follows the quinary system of Xahua 

 and Cora. 



Tepecano is characterized by comparative phonetic simplicity, by 

 the relatively small influence of phonetic rules and by morpholo- 

 gical thoroughness in development. 



RELATIONSHIP OF TEPECANO AND NAHUATZ 



The Uto-Aztekan hypothesis, the question of the interrelationship 

 of the languages of the Xahuatl, Sonoran and Shoshonean groups was 

 the primary cause of the present work. Stated in the barest terms, 

 the hypothesis is to the effect that three of Major Powell's linguistic 

 stocks : the Shoshonean of the American Great Plateau region, of 

 which Ute is possibly the best known ; the Piman of the Mexican 

 and Arizonan western mountains, of which Tepecano may be con- 

 sidered a typical example; and the Xahuatlan of western and 

 southern Mexico, of which the classical Mexican or Aztek is the 

 greatest exponent, are but three main branches of one greater 

 linguistic family termed by general consent Uto-Aztekan. 



Though the first suggestion of this hypothesis was advanced as 

 far back as 1859, 52 it was not until 1913 that any serious com- 



5 "■ J. C. E. Buschmana, Die Spurea der Aztekischen Sprache, Berlin, 1859; Gram- 

 rnatik der Sonorischen Sprachen, Berlin, 1864. 



