194 APPENDIX. 



5. Sexual nouns. The mode of indicating the masculine and femi- 

 nine, having been omitted in the preceding lecture, as not being essen- 

 tial to any concordance with the verb or adjective, is nevertheless con- 

 nected with a striking peculiarity of the language — the exclusive use of 

 certain words bv one or the other sex. After having appeared to the 

 founders of the language, a distinction not necessary to be engrafted in 

 the syntax, there are yet a • limited number of words, to which the idea 

 of sex, so strongly attaches, that it would be deemed the height of im- 

 propriety in a female to use the masculine, and in male to use the fem- 

 inine expressions. 



Of this nature are the words Neeji, and Nindongicai, both signifying 

 my friend, but the former is appropriated to males, and the latter to fe- 

 males. A Chippewa cannot therefore say to a female my friend, nor 

 a Chippewa woman to a male, my friend. Such an interchange of the 

 terms would imply arrogance or indelicacy. Nearly the whole of their 

 interjections — and they are numerous — are also thus exclusivelyjippro- 

 priated ; and no greater breach of propriety in speech could be commit- 

 ted, than a woman's uttering the masculine exclamation of surprize Tya ! 

 or a man's descending to the corresponding female interjection lY'z/d / 



The word neenimoshai, my cousin, on the contrary, can only be ap- 

 plied, like husband and wife, by a male to a female, or a female to a 

 male. If a male wishes to express this]relation of a male, the term is 

 Neetowis : and the corresponding female term Necndongicooshau 



The terms for uncle and aunt, are also of a two-fold character, though 

 not restricted like the preceding in their use. Neemishomai is my un- 

 cle by the father's side : Neezhishai, my uncle by the mother's side. 

 Nerzigwoos is my paternal aunt, neewishai my maternal aunt. 



There are also exclusive words to designate elder brother, and young- 

 er brother : But what would not be expected after the foregoing exam- 

 ples, they are indiscriminately applied to younger brothers and sisters. 

 Necsgai, is my elder brother, and neemissai my elder sister. Neeshe- 

 mai, my younger brother, or younger sister, and may be applied to any 

 brother or sister except the eldest. 



The number of words to which the idea of sex is attached, in the usu- 

 al acceptation, is limited. The following may be enumerated. 

 Masculine. Feminine. 



Irin'i, A man. Ekwai', A woman. 



Kwee'wizais, A boy. Ekwa'zais, A girl. 



