544 PHILOLOGY. 



H, k, I, m, n,p, s, t, w, are pronounced as in English. B, d,f, g, r, v, z, are used 

 only in words of foreign origin. 



3. The vowels have sometimes other sounds besides those given above. A is used 

 with the most latitude, and represents also the sound of a in fall (a), of a in uliat (#), 

 and u in hut (v). E has also the sound of e in met; i that of i in pin, and of y in you. 



4. The most common diphthongs are ai, pronounced like i in pine, au, like ou in 

 south, and iu, like ew in new. 



5. 6. The combinations of consonants are many of them different from those which 

 occu in European languages, and render it difficult for foreigners to acquire the exact 

 pronunciation of the words. Some of the combinations are tk, as in atk, kt, as in 

 silakt, Ih (If.), as in kokalh, id (/.I), as in hltiphlap, sht (gt), as in pisht, th (t?.), as in 

 sith (the h not combining with the t as in English, but used only as an aspirate), mh, as 

 in shamh, nm as in titokanm, ksh, as in taksh, hsh (%), as in mulish, shl, as in kasJd, 

 mth (mtf,), as in kumth, &c. 



7. N and I are frequently used interchangeably. L is more common among some 

 bands of Nez-Perces than others. The women and children almost invariably use I 

 instead of n. 



8. There are other changes of letters made for the sake of euphony ; as, h becomes k 

 before a word or affixed syllable commencing with a vowel ; k is changed to h before a 

 syllable commencing with n. 



OF THE FORMATION OF WORDS. 



9. The radical forms of words consist usually of one, two, or three syllables, but rarely 

 more than that. To these radical forms syllables may be prefixed and suffixed to almost 

 any extent, varying the signification, and lengthening the word to nine, and sometimes 

 even to twelve or more syllables. Words are compounded almost indefinitely. The 

 various circumstances or modes of an action are in general not expressed by separate 

 particles or qualifying words, as in most European languages, but almost every thing of 

 the kind is brought into the verb itself, and makes a part of the word. For instance, 

 tamaunin\s an adjective termination, signifying intensity ; as, tahstamaunin, very good. 

 This particle is compounded with the verb, and gives it the same additional signification; 

 as, hiwakatamausa, it rains very much. Several circumstances are thus sometimes 

 brought into the same word ; as, for example, in hi-tau-tu-al-a-wih-nan-kau-na, which 

 will be found, on analysis, to be compounded of two verbal roots, preceded by two 

 inseparable particles, each of which adds to its signification, besides a prefix which 

 determines the number and person, and a suffix which determines the mode, tense, and 

 direction. Hi is the prefix of the third person singular number ; tail has reference to 

 any thing done in the night, tuala to an action performed in the rain. These two are 

 never used alone, and are not derived, so far as is known, from any verbal root. Wihnan 

 is from the simple verb wihnasa, to travel on foot. The verbal noun, which is the 

 simplest form of the root, is wihna. The last n seems to be added for the sake of 

 euphony. Kau is from the verb kokauna, root kokaun, to pass by. Na is the suffix 

 of the indicative mode, aorist tense, direction from the speaker. The whole word 

 signifies, " he travelled by in a rainy night." 



10. To this other particles may be prefixed and suffixed, lengthening the word and 



