682 GRAMMAR OF THE KLAMATD LANGUAGE. 



a full elucidation of the grammatic laws upon which the structure of the 

 language is resting. Only then a full comprehension of these differences 

 is made possible, and since they extend over the lexicon as well as over the 

 three parts of grammar the best place to consider them is the appendix part 

 of the volume. 



On the whole the two dialects differ but slightly, and this made it pos- 

 sible to treat them both in the same work. The existing differences are 

 nnich more of a lexical than of a grammatic nature, and in grammar the 

 morphologic part shows more differences than the phonologic portion. The 

 Indians, having the auditory sense keenly developed, are well aware of 

 these differences ; they are very apt to find fault with unusual terms or 

 accentuation, and hence visitors ai-e told by the people on Upper Klamath 

 Lake that the Modocs "do not speak correctly" (Md'dokni kii-i talaak 

 hemkanka), or that "their talk is strange" (wenni hdmkanka). All over 

 the world we find people that think their own dialect to be the only good one. 



Other petty linguistic differences exist between each portion or settle- 

 ment of both divisions, as, for instance, between the Klaniaths on the Lake 

 and the Klamaths on Sprague River ; they chiefly refer to the mode of pro- 

 nunciation. The Tchakii'nkni or "Inhabitants of the Service Berry Tract," 

 near Flounce Rock, north of Fort Klamatli, intruders froin the Molale tribe 

 of Oregon, were reputed to speak the Klamath very incorrectly. 



The Texts obtained from individuals of both sections clearly show 

 some disparity in the languages of the two, but afford no distinct clue upon 

 the length of time during which they have lived separately. Before the 

 Modoc war of 187'J-1873 they lived at a distance of sixty to seventy miles 

 from each other; they met every year at the Klamath Marsh, when hunt- 

 ing and collecting pond-lily seed, and besides this often joined their forces 

 to undertake raids in common upon surrounding tribes ; in spite of the 

 rivalry existing between both sections, intermarriages often took place. 

 The more ancient customs and myths are common to both, nevertheless the 

 name M(')atokni or "southerners," which implies segmentation oftJie tribe, must 

 date from an early epoch. The northern dialect is more archaic or original 

 in some terms, as nads;{eksh nine, ne'g absent, whereas the southern shows 

 earlier forms in knanilash bat-speeies, shianhish rafter. 



