210 



BUKEAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[bull. 40 



The examples given in the following sketch have been taken from 

 my collection of Haida texts. Those in the Masset dialect will be 

 found in the publications of the Jesup North Pacific Expedition, 

 Volume X; those in the Skidegate dialect in Bulletin 29 of the Bu- 

 reau of American Ethnology. References preceded by B refer to 

 Buhetin 29. 



PHONETICS (§§ 2-5) 

 § 2. System of Sounds 



Like most other languages of the north Pacific coast of America, 

 Haida makes an extended use of sounds of the I:, I, and s series. It 

 is peculiarly remarkable, however, for the great extent to which it 

 employs n and n {ng) and the frequent juxtaposition of two or even 

 three vowel-sounds. Following is a list of all those sounds which the 

 Haida themselves appear to recognize: 



Coiisoiiant.s Vowels 



I (or e) % (or e) 

 a (or a) a 

 u (or o) u (or o) 



An anterior palatal series might be added to these, but the sounds 

 to be so characterized seem only palatals followed by a close vowel. 

 The fortis sounds are accompanied by a slight explosion, which 

 results from urging more breath against the articulating organs than 

 can at once pass through. Some speakers bring these out very for- 

 cibly, while others pass over them with considerable smoothness. In 

 the latter case it is very easy to mistake them for corresponding so- 

 nants. It is doubtful whether d and t and dj and tc really exist as 

 recognizedly separate sounds; tc is sometimes heard in the Masset 

 dialect, and dj in Skidegate in corresponding situations, x is pro- 

 nounced intermediately between the cli in German "ach" and in Ger- 

 man ''ich," with which latter sound it agrees entirely when placed 

 before a close vowel. In the Z-series l is much like dl, and l much 

 like tl; but the tongue is extended farther forward along the palate, 

 and there is a greater flow of breath around it. In I the outflow of 

 breath becomes extreme, m and p are usually final sounds in certain 

 §2 



