PHILOLOGY. 15 



jiodifieations of relationship, such as the elder from the younger 

 brother and sister, but women use different words from men in ad- 

 dressing their relations; as, for instance, a man employs one word in 

 saying "my iather," and a woman another. Again, different words 

 are, at least in some languages, used in speaking q/' one's parents fn)ra 

 those used in speaking to them. It is, therefore, necessary either to 

 give each form, or to specify by what sex and in what sense the words 

 ate used. Further to prevent uncertainty, it is preferable to employ 

 the possessive pronoun in connection with the word, as given in the 

 vocabulary, e. g., " my father," &c. ; and this is, in fact, in consonance 

 with Indian practice. 



Their languages are deficient in generic terms, or those representing 

 classes of objects. Thus very few possess words equivalent to " tree," 

 "bird," "fish," &c., though names will be found for every particular 

 species, as each kind of oak and pine, of duck or sahnon ; and of cer- 

 tain animals, such as deer, there will be found, besides the specific 

 name, black or white-tailed deer, as the case may be, separate words 

 signifying buck, doe, and fawn, as with us. It is, therefore, essential 

 in obtaining such names, to ascertain definitively the object intended, 

 and to note this in the vocabulary. 



This tendency to particularize extends to almost every class of ob- 

 jects. In regard' to parts of the body, it has been found that in many 

 languages there is no one word for arm or leg, but separate ones for 

 the upper arm, and that below the elbow ; for the thigh, and that part 

 below the knee. Even of the hands and feet there are often no names 

 embracing the whole. So, too, the words " leaf," " bark," are repre 

 sented by distinct names, according to their character, as broad and 

 needle-shaped leaves, the woody and fibrous barks. Sheath and pocket 

 knives and the various forms of canoes have in like manner each their 

 specific names. 



In respect to particular words, the following points may be noted : 



3ran. This must be carefully distinguished from the word "per- 

 son," the collective of which is "people," i. e., Indians. 



£01/, Girl, Infant. The answer often given for these is simpiy 

 "little man," "little woman," "little one." 



Husband and wife. Distinct words exist in most languages for 

 these relationships; in others, it would seem as if there was only "my 

 man," " my woman." 



Indians, people. Care must be taken that the name of the tribe is 

 not given unless really so designated. 



