GRAMMAR AND SENTENCES. 



The Native Grammar is very meagre, and will be best imdei-stood by an 

 examination of the accompanying illustrative sentences in the ' Kuurn kopan 

 noot ' language. In the following illustrations the first line shows the original 

 sentence, the second its translation into the aboriginal language, and the third a 

 literal re-translation into English. It will be observed that, from the poverty of 

 the language, the re-translation often fails to embody the full meaning of the 

 original sentence. Hence, also, it is impossible to account for many discrepancies 

 in the application of words in sentences. It is right, however, to say that, 

 though much trouble was taken, it was found very difficult to make the 

 aborigines understand what was wanted. It is on this account that so many 

 illustrative sentences have been given. From these sentences the reader may 

 form his own conclusions independently of the writer. 



AETICLES. 



Sometimes the pronoun ' this,' ' deen,' is employed where in English ' the ' 

 would be used ; and occasionally the numeral ' one,' ' kiiappa,' is used where in 

 English the indefinite article is employed. But there are no articles, properly 

 speaking. 



NOUNS. 



Gender is distinguished by ' heear,' ' feminine,' after the specific name, but 

 this aflSx is only used where we would use the word female. The possessive 

 case is represented by the affix ' gnat,' ' belonging to.' There is no distinction 

 of numbers in nouns. When numbers are intended, the numeral adjectives are 

 used, e.g., spear one, spear two, spear three, &c. 



SENTENCES ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE CASES OF NOUNS. 



An opossum runs up the tree. , 



Kan beewsetnan -wnurotse kuuramuuk. 



Going up tree opossum. 



Ixxxv 



