BOAS] HANDBOOK OF INDIAN LANGUAGES CHUKCHEE 665 



Perhaps the initial y of the last two examples is derived from r, as 

 in Koryak it replaces r. 

 Irregular is — 



i^rerkin he arranges a rein- gei'i^'lelin he has arranged a rein- 

 deer driving-match, deer driving-match 



When a stem consisting of a consonantic cluster stands alone, auxil- 

 iary vowels are introduced after the initial and before the terminal 

 consonant. 



pi' nil news (stem pnl) 



ku'kil one-e^^ed man (stem JcH) 



§ 13. Pronunciation of Men and Wotnen 



The pronunciation of the women ^ differs from that of the men. 

 Women generally substitute & for t and r^ particularly after weak 

 vowels. They also substitute J5 for rlc and 6h. The sounds 6 and r 

 are quite frequent; so that the speech of women, with its ever-recurring 

 5, sounds quite peculiar, and is not easily understood by an inexperi- 

 enced ear. Women are quite able to pronounce 6 and r, and when 

 quoting the words of a man, — as, for instance, in tales, — use these 

 sounds. In ordinary conversation, however, the pronunciation of men 

 is considered as unbecoming a woman. 



Examples are — 



Men's pronunciation Women's pronunciation 



ra'mlciihin Sa'mlciSSiti people 



Pa'rkala Pa'§$ala by Parkal 



dumfla'ta SUmfla'ta by a buck 



Oaivu'u?'gin §aivu'u§§i77. (a name) 



The men, particularly in the Kolyma district, drop intervocalic 

 consonants, principally n and t. In this case the two adjoining vow- 

 els are assimilated. 



nitva'qaat < nitva'qenat 



gei'miheet < gei'miLinet 



ti'rkiir < ti'rkitir 



>An example of woman's pronunciation is given in my Chukchee Mythology (Publications of the 

 Jesup North Pacific Expedition, vm, pp. 144, 145); and more fully in my Chukchee Materials 

 pp. 121-126, Nos. 26, 27, 28. 



§13 



