NORTHWESTERN AMERICA. 551 



itn|K>rsi)iml form of expression is; also used, similar to the English "they say," for " it 

 is sai<l." 



49. A large minilx'r of verbs are contracted after the manner of the Greek contracts. 

 This contraction, howerer,OCCun only in the third person singular and plural throughout 



all the inoiids anil tenses; as, liitit.visliu li>r liiirilnnxlni. 



5ll. Verbs are varied according to location, direction, mode, tense, number, and 

 person. 



51. As regard! location, when the action originates from the place where the s| 

 is, the usual torm of the verb is used ; but when the action originates from a place at a 

 distance from the speaker, a ditlerent limn is used ; as, ln/lmn, aorist tense, common 

 form, liitltiuikikikti, the same tense, when the action originates at a distance. In the 

 form signifying direction towards the speaker, if no intermediate point or place is spoken 

 of iii the progress of the action, the common form is used; but when the action in 

 progress is spoken of as coming from that intermediate place, the other form is used. 



.">.'. Direction. Every verb is varied according as the action or affection, or even 

 beinir, have a direction towards or from the speaker, as, litikisa,, when the action is 

 from the speaker, and links<itii, when it is to/rr//i/s ; and in the form signifying an action 

 originating at a distance, /iiik.iniiki., from, and haksdiikikiiii, towards. It is difficult to 

 conceive of direction in the verb expressing simple existence, but here the two forms are 

 in common use ; a-, //i/n/s//, from, and hiwam, towards. 



53. The modes are more numerous than usual in other languages. There are at 

 least six distinct modes, and perhaps one more ought to be reckoned. They are as 

 follows : 



(1.) Indicative, having the same signification as in English. 



(a.) Usiiative, signifying an action that is customary or habitual ; as, in tseknakana, 

 I used to say. 



(3.) X/i/yinsi/ive, implying a condition or doubt. 



(4.) S/i?,//>i/r/ire, signifying an action which depends on a previous supposition; as, 

 L-H Linn liiii-dtuli, l;<nta in aksaiiah, if he were here, then I should see him. 



(5.) Imperative, as in other languages. When prohibition is expressed, the future 

 form of the verb is used, instead of the imperative, with the negative watmet prefixed. 



(6.) Infinitive, signifying the purpose for which an action is performed ; as, hahnash 

 /.i/ma, I have come to see. 



The other form of expression, hinted at as being an additional mode, is similar in its 

 signification to the infinitive. It follows a verb in one of the other modes in the same 

 manner as the infinitive, and is preceded by the particle kah in the sense of that. This 

 form of the verb is varied according to number and person, but is not varied according to 

 time ; as, halsu inpantam kah aliksh, bring me some wood, that I may make a fire. 



54. The tenses as well as modes are uncommonly numerous. There are no less than 

 nine, though they are not all used in any but the indicative mode. 



(1 .) Present, signifying an action which is passing at the time the assertion is made ; 

 as, in timasa, I am writing. 



(2.) Perfect, denoting an action just completed ; as, in hakin, I have just seen. 



