OF THE BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY. LXXI 



the stock have inherited the fundamental elements of their 

 languages. These languages, then, are cognate, but there are 

 many words in each which have not been derived from the 

 primitive stock inherited by all, but which have been borrowed 

 from other peoples with whom the Aryans have from time to 

 time associated. Such words are similar by acculturation. 



Many similarities are discovered in languages which have no 

 cognate or cultural relation. In English we call a certain animal 

 a "deer." In several Shoshone languages a deer is called "tia." 

 When first heard among the tribes of Utah this word was sup- 

 posed to have been borrowed from white men; but in some of 

 the languages and dialects of the stock it is found that "tiats" 

 is used, and "tiav" in others; and the three are therefore con- 

 sidered to be cognate with each other, but entirely a different 

 word, and not to have been derived from the English "deer." 

 The similarity is one of mere accident. Such accidental re- 

 semblances are often found, and tyro philologists frequently 

 assemble them for the purpose of demonstrating linguistic re- 

 lationship. Such adventitious similarities are discovered in all 

 departments of human activities, and have no value for com- 

 parative purposes. 



Many similarities in the opinions of men, as they are scat- 

 tered over the world, are discovered. Lessons may be derived 

 from these similarities as they appear in myths. Very many 

 savage tribes believe that the winds are the breathings of 

 mythic beasts. Of course savages recognize the fact that they 

 can blow from their mouths, and they easily reach the child- 

 ish conclusion that wind is breath; and tribes scattered widely 

 throughout the earth might arrive at this common opinion; 

 and such opinions are usually supposed to be concaused. 

 Wherever primitive man, in the childhood of reasoning, re- 

 flected upon the origin of winds, he may have reached such a 

 conclusion. Such opinions are manifestly concaused, and au- 

 togenous from many centers. 



A second explanation of the origin of wind is found sometimes 

 among savage tribes, but it is more frequently found among 

 barbaric tribes. Among these peoples winds are interpreted 

 as fannings, and in early hieroglyphic writing the four quar- 



