AS A TEST OF MENTAL CAPACITY. 



95 



uoiiiis certain particles of the class which we call prepositions, but which would here be 

 more accurately styled postpositions. In this manner, as is well known, scholars suppose 

 that the Aryan cases were originally formed. There seems no particular reason for hold- 

 ing that the closer union of the Aryan affixes to their nouns is evidence of a higher degree 

 of intellect or culture in those who utter them ; but if any person of Aryan descent 

 chooses to gratify his pride of race by maintaining such an opinion, it would be idle to 

 seek to disabuse him. The main point to be considered is the clearness of expression 

 which these varied affixes must give to a sentence in linking the nouns and pronouns 

 (which are also fully declined) to the other parts of speech. 



The verbs have not the variety of "classes" which are found in the Tinneh and 

 many other American languages ; nor have they inflections for person and number, which 

 are always expressed by separate pronouns. In this respect, as in some others, the 

 language is highly "analytic." But the forms of tenses and moods are very numerous. 

 The root or ground-form of the verb is iisually a word of one or two syllables, and to 

 this ground-form various particles are appended, which modify the signification, and 

 sometimes protract the word to a considerable length. The following are only a few 

 specimens, derived from the conjugation of the verbal root bn or bun, to strike. (The 

 nominative pronoun ban, I, is understood.) 



Tenses. 



Present, 

 Remote past. 

 Recent past. 

 Recent pluperfect. 

 Hodiernal past, 

 Future aorist, 

 Crastinal future, 

 Inceptive future, 



or to-day. 



There are several forms of the simple substantive verb, the most usual being fca, a 

 root which signifies " being or existence, in time, place, or state." It is used apparently 

 in all respects like the Latin esse or the English be, and is conjugated throughout all the 

 forms and tenses. The participle is kan, being, as " I being afraid," kinta kan ban, lit., 

 afraid being I. The preterite is kakï'da ; as bi'ika ban kaki'ila, I was angry (angry I was). 

 Imperative, kaiiwa, be; as km-i'm kauwa, be still (quiet be). It is also used as an auxiliary 

 with other verbs. 



