1.8'J5-96.] THK BLACKFOOT LANGUAGE. 131 



EUPHONY. 



In the combination of letters and the formation of words, strict atten- 

 tion is paid to the agreeableness of sound. This is one of the pecuh'ar 

 characteristics of the language. In the formation of compound words, 

 when two syllables come together, which in combination will produce a 

 harsh sound, one of the syllables is elided, as : omuqkimi = big, nina = 

 a chief When combined, the vii o{ the simple adjective is rejected and 

 it becomes omuqkinina = a big chief Niokskum = three, otasiks = 

 horses (his), niokskotasiks = three horses. 



When two simple words in combination possess several harsh-sounding 

 consonants, two or more of the syllables are elided, as: siksinum = black, 

 oqkotoki ^ stone, sikoqkotoki =^ black stone, i.e., coal. When two or 

 more vowels come together in word-forming, and the sound resulting 

 from their union is not harmonious, a consonant is inserted to secure the 

 euphony. This is particularly noticeable in the verb, with its article, 

 pronoun or pronominal prefix, as : nistoa = I, awan = root of verb, i = 

 verbal termination. When combined we have: ni-t-avvan-i = I say, 

 ki-t-awan-i = thou sayest, awan-io = he says. 1 he letter t is inserted 

 to secure harmony of sound. 



Sometimes a vowel is changed in combination, as : omuqkimi = big, 

 kaio = bear. Froni these we have : omuqkokaio = big bear. Here the 

 last syllable of the adjective is elided, and the last vowel remaining, 

 namely i, is changed to o. Sometimes a vowel is rejected in combination, 

 as : ponoka = deer, imita =^ dog. Combined, we have ponokamita ^ 

 deer-dog, i.e., a horse. 



All the parts of speech are found in the language except the article. 

 The numeral adjective nitukskum = one, and the demonstrative pronouns 

 amo=:this, and oma=that, are used to supply the place of the articles as, 

 nitukskum ponokamita — one horse, or a horse, amakio = this woman, 

 amakekwan = this girl, or the girl, omakekwan = that girl, or the 

 girl. They do not strictly supply the place of the articles, but they are 

 used for that purpose. 



The Blackfoot, Cree and Ojibway languages belong to the Algonkin 

 family of languages, and in order to show the relation existing between 

 them, there is subjoined a list of words in these three languages. The 

 Blackfoot, Blood and Piegan tribes speak dialects of the Blackfoot, but 

 as the changes made are slight, except in the coining of new words, it 

 would not be expedient to spend time in tracing these differences. The 

 lists of the three related lancruaiies are as follows : — 



