104 proceedings of the canadian institute. 



The Cree Language. By Rev. E, B. Glass, B.A. (Victoria). 



(Read January 29, 1898.) 



Of the Algonquin stock, the Plain and Wood Crees use, perhaps, the purest and 

 most euphonious branch amongst the Cree dialects ; 



EUPHONY. 



On the Saskatchewan ' duck' is ' sesep '; 'duckling,' ' sesepis.' At Moose Factory 

 these words are ' sheshep ' and ' sheshepish.' The former two words please the eye 

 and ear, and are readily enunciated. There is a natural tendency to place a vowel 

 between consonants in order to secure agreeable sounds. ' Iron ' or ' metal,' is ' pewa- 

 pisk,' ' road ' is ' maskunow ' and ' rail ' or ' iron-road ' is ' pewapisko maskunow.' 

 ' Kiyas,' ' old,' ' kakwTya,' ' things '; ' old things ' is ' kiyase kakwiya.' 



These Indians do not stammer — they are noted for ready utterance and elo- 

 quence. Rapid delivery is necessary on account of the syllabic character of the 

 language, as distinct from the alphabetic of the English and most European langua- 

 ges; therefore euphony must be studied to aid pronunciation. I shall give an illus- 

 tration : 



" The new Government wishes to know how the Crees are prospering," has six- 

 teen syllables. This in Cree is, " Ka oske "'pumina'kik weyusoowawin wekiskaye'tum- 

 wuk ma'te kespin Naheyawa peyechechenakoo'chekayekwilnik," and contains 

 thirty-seven syllables. Hence it can be seen that to convey the same idea in the 

 same time as the Englishman, the Cree must speak more quickly. 



precision. 



There is a definiteness about this tongue that is very striking, and in contrast to 

 the ambiguity of many other tongues. If an elder brother is referred to it is 

 'nistas,' ' my brother,' if a younger brother, the word is ' nisem.' My (elder) sister is 

 'nimis '; ' my (younger) sister,' ' nis5m.' It is observed that ' nis5m ' is either ' my 

 (younger) brother' or ' my (younger) sister'; but it is usual to add, in this case, by way 

 of explanation, ' napao,' ' man,' and ' iskwao,' ' woman,' as ' nisSm iskwao.' 



All verbs are precise in first and second plural, and third singular and plural. 

 In English, French, Latin, Greek, " we advise, " for instance, is indefinite; but in 

 Cree these forms of the verb leave no doubt in the mind of the reader or hearer 

 addressed. " Ne se'ke'kamunan," "we advise," excludes second person or persons, 

 including only first and third; " ke se'ke'kamunow," " we advise," takes in first and 

 second only. 



In addressing the Deity it is unpardonable to say " kemoostowinanow," " we 

 desire it," which form embraces the first and second persons; " ne moostowinanan" 

 must be used. 



If I ask a friend whether Mr. Jackson's son is home, the answer is " apeyewa," 

 not " ap5u "; the latter word is, in substance, " he is home," and refers to Mr. Jack- 

 son himself; but " apSyewa " has the relative ending " yewa," relating to the second 

 party mentioned, that is, the son. 



My friend may then say, referring to Jackson and son, " natawaye'tum kita 

 paetu'tat oota " " he desires to come here," that is, Jackson. If it is said, " nataway- 

 e'tum kita pSetu'tayit oota," the relation extends to the son, and the meaning is 

 that Jackson wishes his (son) to come here." 



(*The Greek or Scotch aspirate ['] cannot be omitted in many words.) 



