328 BUREAU OF AMEKICAlSr ETHNOLOGY [bull. 40 



I 11. Nouiinal Particles 



A number of particles, according to their meaning, can occur only 

 in a nominal sense, modifying nouns and adjectives. A few of these 

 might as well have been classed with the preceding group. 



136. a7H' serving for (Tsimshian: am-). This prefix is not free. 



am-lo'x' alder-tree (serving for [the dyeing of] head rings of 



cedar-bark) 

 am-ina'l cottonwood (serving for canoes) 

 am-halal't head-dress (serving for shaman's dance) 

 am-sg'lnt' at pine-tree (serving for pitch) 

 am-yu'li used in potlatch 194.1 



Tsimshian 



CDii-me'Hh mask (serving for dance) 

 am-ga'n cedar (serving for wood) 



This prefix is also used in some connections where the explanation 

 here given does not seem satisfactory: 



am-qo! n a kind of salmon-trap 



am-xLo! L willow {^,cLaL fruit of willow) 



am-hd'ts' stump 55.5 

 In other cases it appears as a verbal prefix, the meaning of which 

 is not known: 



am- qd'od to remember 200.13 



am-sg'i to lie (on the beach?) 172.11 



cmiTi'lEq to destro}' in anger 



137. aX' without (Tsimshian: ira-). This prefix is nominal, and 



serves as negation in subordinate clauses, which in Tsimshian 

 are transformed into nominal form. Examples are here 

 given of nominal forms and of sul)ordinate clauses: 

 {(() Nouns: 



ax'-a'k's without water 



ax-wund'x' without food 



ax-qagd'd foolish (literally^ without minds) 123.10 



ax-gd'dEm g'a't foolish person 



an-ax-ko'^ carelessness 



ax-md'Jc^ unripe 60.5 



ax-qam-da' xl'^ disgraceful 



ax-de-si-halai' t never giving a dance (an opprobrious epithet) 



ax-na-mu'x without ear-ornaments (an opprobrious epithet) 



ax-(fe'ts without labret (a little girl) 



ax-tqal-g'a'tk^ virgin (not against a man) 



§11 



