﻿FLETCHBK-IA 
  FLBSCHH] 
  LANGUAGE 
  607 
  

  

  The 
  Omaha 
  language 
  lends 
  itself 
  to 
  picturesque 
  and 
  graphic 
  

   detail 
  more 
  than 
  to 
  generalized 
  statements 
  of 
  facts 
  and 
  experiences, 
  

   yet 
  it 
  would 
  be 
  a 
  mistake 
  to 
  regard 
  it 
  as 
  not 
  adapted 
  to 
  the 
  expres- 
  

   sion 
  of 
  abstract 
  thought. 
  

  

  In 
  the 
  preceding 
  chapters 
  there 
  is 
  evidence 
  going 
  to 
  show 
  that 
  the 
  

   Omaha 
  were 
  inclined 
  to 
  depend 
  on 
  the 
  powers 
  of 
  thought 
  and 
  reflec- 
  

   tion 
  for 
  ability 
  to 
  bring 
  about 
  beneficial 
  changes 
  in 
  governmental 
  

   forms, 
  tribal 
  rites, 
  and 
  ceremonies. 
  A 
  notable 
  instance 
  of 
  this 
  trait 
  

   is 
  the 
  coinage 
  of 
  the 
  word 
  wt 
  'wappt 
  (see 
  p. 
  596) 
  to 
  denote 
  those 
  cere- 
  

   monials 
  instituted 
  "to 
  bring 
  the 
  people 
  into 
  order 
  and 
  thoughtful 
  

   composure," 
  a 
  condition 
  favorable 
  to 
  the 
  reception 
  of 
  an 
  appeal 
  to 
  

   reason 
  and 
  to 
  securing 
  the 
  recognition 
  of 
  authority. 
  The 
  idea 
  

   embodied 
  in 
  this 
  word 
  must 
  have 
  been 
  the 
  outcome 
  of 
  long 
  and 
  care- 
  

   ful 
  observation 
  of 
  social 
  actions 
  and 
  of 
  thoughtful 
  reflection 
  on 
  such 
  

   observation. 
  The 
  won! 
  affords 
  also 
  evidence 
  of 
  the 
  adaptability 
  of 
  

   the 
  language 
  to 
  the 
  expression 
  of 
  abstract 
  ideas. 
  Another 
  example 
  

   of 
  the 
  expression 
  in 
  a 
  single 
  word 
  of 
  a 
  complex 
  idea 
  derived 
  from 
  

   social 
  observation 
  and 
  experience 
  is 
  found 
  in 
  the 
  term 
  ni'Tcie 
  (see 
  

   p. 
  136). 
  Many 
  similar 
  examples 
  could 
  he 
  given. 
  

  

  Although 
  the 
  tribe 
  was 
  without 
  written 
  records, 
  it 
  was 
  not 
  without 
  

   a 
  traditional 
  wealth 
  of 
  thought 
  expressed 
  in 
  rituals 
  and 
  rites 
  that 
  

   corresponded, 
  in 
  a 
  sense, 
  to 
  literature. 
  These 
  exercised 
  an 
  educative 
  

   influence 
  and 
  left 
  an 
  impress 
  on 
  the 
  mind 
  of 
  the 
  people 
  that 
  never 
  was 
  

   wholly 
  obliterated. 
  Those 
  whose 
  position 
  gave 
  them 
  free 
  access 
  to 
  

   these 
  storehouses 
  of 
  the 
  thoughts 
  and 
  aspirations 
  of 
  the 
  sages 
  of 
  the 
  

   tribe, 
  came 
  under 
  a 
  masterful 
  control. 
  Not 
  only 
  .the 
  thoughts 
  

   embodied 
  in 
  the 
  rituals 
  and 
  rites, 
  but 
  the 
  language 
  with 
  which 
  they 
  

   were 
  clothed 
  dwelt 
  in 
  the 
  minds 
  of 
  these 
  men 
  and 
  acted 
  as 
  a 
  refining 
  

   and 
  uplifting 
  power 
  that 
  was 
  reflected 
  in 
  their 
  choice 
  of 
  words 
  and 
  

   their 
  manner 
  of 
  expression, 
  and 
  resulted 
  in 
  a 
  quality 
  of 
  attainment 
  

   somewhat 
  equivalent 
  to 
  our 
  term 
  "scholarly." 
  When 
  discoursing 
  

   on 
  serious 
  subjects, 
  such 
  men 
  did 
  not 
  express 
  themselves 
  in 
  collo- 
  

   quial 
  terms 
  used 
  in 
  every 
  day 
  pursuits, 
  but 
  selected 
  their 
  words 
  and 
  

   constructed 
  their 
  sentences 
  appropriately 
  to 
  convey 
  the 
  thoughts 
  

   that 
  transcended 
  the 
  ordinary 
  affairs 
  of 
  life. 
  Dignified 
  converse 
  of 
  

   this 
  character 
  was 
  beyond 
  the 
  full 
  comprehension 
  of 
  those 
  no! 
  versed 
  

   in 
  the 
  sources 
  whence 
  these 
  thoughtful 
  "old 
  men" 
  drew 
  their 
  inspi- 
  

   ration. 
  

  

  Correlation 
  of 
  the 
  influences 
  bred 
  of 
  environment, 
  avocations, 
  

   customs, 
  traditions, 
  beliefs, 
  and 
  ideals 
  is 
  essential 
  to 
  the 
  understand- 
  

   ing 
  of 
  the 
  life 
  and 
  of 
  the 
  speech 
  of 
  an 
  American 
  Indian 
  tribe. 
  

  

  