47 



So far as I can see, it seems as if the Eskimo dialectal 

 peculiarities are, from a geographical point of view, irregularly 

 grouped (as is the case in the other languages) : some are very 

 wide-spread, others exist only within narrow limits; some extend 

 over connected territory, others appear in two different places 

 which are separated from each other. Each group must have 

 originated in the course of time as divisions took place in the 

 tribe and these tribal divisions became isolated from each 

 other. The more two dialect-groups resemble each other, the 

 shorter must be the time that has passed since their separa- 

 tion took place. By means of this criterion, it is possible to 

 reach some decision with regard to the historical relations be- 

 tween the tribal groups; and in so far as it seems probable 

 that some of these groups are linguistically at an earlier stage 

 of development than others, it will perhaps also be possible to 

 decide about the relative length of time which has passed since 

 their separation from the primary horde. This criterion, how- 

 ever, can give us no clue as to which group has dwelt longest 

 in the district in which it is found at present, and as to which 

 groups have been the last to wander into the districts where 

 they are now. The linguistic data alone cannot be used to 

 prove anything with regard to the history of the migrations. 



As we have seen, however, in the beginning of this inves- 

 tigation, there is some historical probability for the assumption 

 that the Eskimo of Greenland (at all events on the west coast) 

 have taken possession of their present territory later than the 

 other East Eskimo groups; and certain peculiarities in the 

 language of the Greenlanders, when compared with the West 

 Eskimo dialects, indicate that they have reached on the whole 

 a more advanced stage of linguistic development than the 

 western and central Eskimo. This is probably not accidental; 

 here I am content, however, merely to state the fact, — With 

 regard to those linguistic-historical results which I think I have 

 been able to show at least some probability for, I shall not 



