218 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [boll. 40 



DISCUSSION OF GRAMMAR (§§ 13-34) 

 § 13. Formation of Word -Complexes 



As already stated, Haida words are very loosely put together and 

 many of their elements may also be used independently. The type 

 of the word-complex which may be isolated as the predicative term 

 of the sentence embraces four groups of elements: 



A FIRST GROUP, describing an incidental state or activity, particu- 

 larly instrumentality. , 



A SECOND GROUP, indicating the nominal object of transitive, the 

 subject of intransitive, verbs. 



A THIRD GROUP, expressing the principal predicative term. 



A FOURTH GROUP, expressing local relations and modalities. 



Although there is hardl}^ any phonetic influence between these 

 groups of elements, their connection is so intimate that the combi- 

 nation is best considered as a single word, even though the component 

 elements may occur in other combinations quite independently. An 

 example of such a combination is the word dAngtdalL.'xa^ga canoe 

 BEING HAULED SEAWARD, which is Constituted as follows 



First group : d An hy pulling. 



Second group: gl canoe-shaped object. 



Third group: ddl to move. 



f Lixa toward something. 

 r ourth group : 



sga seaward. 



Several complexes of this kind may enter into combinations. It 

 would seem that when this is the case each complex expresses modality 

 or instrumentality in relation to the following ones in the same way 

 as the first group expresses modality in the single term. An example 

 of this kind is the word gldjiglldalskit to place an animate object 



BY CAUSING IT TO BECOME (oue that) HOLDS ON WITH THE HANDS: 



First complex, third group: gldji to hold with hands. 



Second complex, third group: gil to become. 



Third complex, third group: da to cause. 



Fourth complex, third group : skit to bring into contact. 



These combinations may be illustrated by the following examples : 



Ia la tagiagA' ngwanas he ate it as he stood around iJ,A la objective 

 and subjective pronouns; ta to eat; -gia to stand; -gAU contin- 

 uative; -gwah about; -as participle) 

 §13 



