70 



breadth, however, "is not found in the teeth-rim, whose arcli 

 is comparatively narrow and compressed, determined, as it is, by 

 the form of the palate, which is craniometricaily expressed by 

 the breadth-index of the palate-arch. This index, which, however, 

 is known only from craniums. is low in the Greenlander. He 

 is what is technically termed leptostap byline, and when 

 the breadth of the lower jaw is so great, it is exclusively due 

 to a strong development of its hindmost part, to which the 

 largest and strongest muscles are attached". 



What is here stated about the West Greenlanders will 

 undoubtedly be found to apply to the Eskimo race everywhere. 

 If we may be permitted to draw conclusions as to the organs 

 of articulation from their linguistic functions, the extensive use 

 which the Eskimo makes of uvular ("gutturar') sounds might 

 lead us to assume that his inmost organs of articulation, 

 especially the uvula and soft palate, are unusually strong. — 



The task which 1 am to undertake in the following pages is 

 a description of the sound-elements of the Greenlandic language 

 together with the most essential positions of articulation for 

 each sound. The basis for this account will be the phonetic 

 lists already mentioned in the introduction. The meanings as 

 Avell as the grammatical forms of the examples cited will for 

 the present be left out of consideration. 



Speech-sounds are produced when the air which is expelled 

 from the lungs meets a certain resistance on its way through 

 the mouth and is thereby brought into vibration. This may be 

 caused first by a tightening of the vocal chords, then farther 

 out by a narrowing of the mouth-passage, which may variously 

 be brought about by action of the soft palate, the tongue, or 

 the lips. The order in which the organs of speech come 

 into action is accordingly this : lungs, vocal chords, soft palate, 

 tongue, lips. 



