PHONETIC SYSTEM OF THE UTE LANGUAGE 221 



The following words illustrate some striking instances of modifi- 

 cation of sound by sound. 



a) Vowel harmony. Thus manaqan.)' for mantiqunj^y, five. 



b) Umlaut. Thus mamtiSLiquiSHJa'wykya for mamHSHqmsHJa'- 

 wyka, they 3+ are standing. 



c) Palatalization of a consonant by a vowel. Thus mamHSH- 

 quiSHJa'wyk^a (with palatal k^) for mamHSHquiSHJa'wyka, they 

 3+ are standing. 



d) Labialization of a vowel by a consonant. Thus pyjuipwy for 

 pyjuip)', heart. 



e) Epenthesis. This is perhaps the most interesting of the phe- 

 nomena. By epenthesis we understand the appearance of the same 

 vowel both before and after a consonant, the consonant itself, of 

 course, partaking of the timbre of the vowel. Thus tamynuway 

 WHUHM, we 2 (inclusive) are standing, but nnmHyuHway 

 WHUHLi, we 2 (exclusive) are standing (tiy for y because of pre- 

 ceding h); mamtiSBiquiSHJa'wykyya for mamtiSBiqmsHJa'wyka, 

 they 3-f are standing {yd for a because of preceding y); kapay- 

 JHrbH for kapyJHrbti, I am sitting (ay for y because of preceding 

 a). This is the same phenomenon that we have in Old Enghsh 

 speech. This Anglo-Saxon feolu for felu, much; mioluc for miluc, 

 milk. 



/) Vowels mutually change place. Thus the Indians say indiffer- 

 ently either typuitjy or tuip(w)ytj>', rock, stone. This is probably 

 to be explained in the following manner: the more original form is 

 probably tmp(w)ytj>'. The p labializes the anterior portion of the 

 y, producing a parasitic w, and this is strengthened by the ui of the 

 preceding syllable until it produces a form tuip(w)uitjy. But the 

 ear requires a y sound in the first syllables of the word. And so 

 the form typ(w)uitjy may originate. 



Typographical impracticabilities prevent further discussion of 

 these interesting changes here. 



Perhaps there never has been, and never again will be, as good an 

 opportunity for learning about the Utes as there is right now. The 

 schools estabHshed by the Government and otherwise have made it 



