130 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAX INSTITUTE. [VoL. V. 



u as in but, hut : matupi = a person. 



vv as in wish : awanio = he says. 



ks as X in wax, and I's in books : as akgks = women. 



maksinum = cross, 

 y as in you : as moyis = a lodge, 

 tc as c/i in church, and tc/i in match : as tcanistapi — what is it. 



matcapsio = he is fooHsh. 

 kw as ^ in quick, quart : as akekwan = a girl. 



kainakwan = a Blood Indian, 



The following sounds, as expressed by their respective letters in the 

 English language, have no equivalent in Blackfoot, namely : b, d, f, g, 

 j, 1, v, z. 



The sounds belonging to the alphabet never change, so that when 

 once understood and memorized one great difficulty is overcome. There 

 are no silent letters, every vowel and consonant having its own appro- 

 priate sound. When two or more vowels come together they must be 

 pronounced separately, unless forming diphthongs in accordance with 

 the alphabet. I have thought it best to dispense with the use of the 

 hyphen in connecting syllables, as a little more care bestowed upon the 

 grammatical construction of the language will enable anyone to distin- 

 guish the syllables, and thus be saved the trouble arising from the 

 transition to connected reading. 



ACCENTUATION. 



Many of the difficulties of pronunciation can only be grasped by a 

 practical acquaintance with the language. The interpretations of some 

 words are changed by the change of accent, and also by a more emphatic 

 pronunciation of the word in full. The acute accent is used to point out 

 the syllable or vowel upon which the stress is to be laid, as : nitsemani = 

 I am speaking the truth, oqke = water. 



Excessive prolongation of a vowel changes the sense of the word. 

 This strong emphasis or prolongation is designated by a x placed under 

 the emphatic letter, as a, o. 



X X 



Oma = there. Oma = yonder. 



X 



Aqse = good. Ekskaqse = very good. 



Ekskaqse = very, very good. 



X 



There is a half vowel sound which is denoted by a comma below the 

 vowel, as : kia = come on, or, let us go. 



