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guage follows the feminine form in the íirst person, but with some 
additional letter or distinguishing prefix : 
lst p. mase. fem. 
ik-mathcheyi áb-makpe ing-mathcheyi rol 1 ex i ve, to be held, 
hold self 
sik-mo-máthchi áp-mo-map ik-mo-máthchi noun, one held or 
possessed 
Wc have already noted in Choroti how the y of the íirst and third 
persons of nouns is used as a prefix to verbs in the third person ; and 
the ta prefix of ta-te (my mother) is another example of the change 
from the third to the first with nouns ; we see it also with the verbs. 
2. Just as in Vejoz the y and t mark sections of verbs, giving as 
it were a distinctive Índex, as Y-aj (strike), T-an (ery), so also we find 
the same in Choroti, exj. Y -ape (return), T-o (carry), and others like 
A-Ki-ma (hold, have, take, etc.), which in Vejoz is regular, CHu-ma, 
T. Ko-na, S. Ku-ma, L.-M. MA. 
3. The word oki, to hite, is Y-okuaj in Vejoz ; N-ák or N-aigi in 
Toba ; T-ák-thle-yi in Lengua-Mascoy ; Mojo, Ni-ko ; Q., Ka-ni ; 
G., ay-cuu ; S., Uiku. The verbs “ to bite ” and “ to eat ” are closely 
allied, in Vejoz and Choroti indicated by the t prefix, T-uj or T-iuj ; 
in Toba by CH, Chik ; in L.-M. by change of vowel, To-gyi. From 
this it is evident tliat the consonants are used with precisión, one tribe 
adopting an n, another a t, another a y, a ch, or change the vowel. 
4. It is also olear that in words like to or tío, with an imperative 
ho-ne (carry, bring, take), or po-ne (imp. one or ap-one, to eover) ; that 
the o is the centre, the t and p prefixes, and the ne suffix being an addi- 
tion to the word. 
5. From the preceding list we see the root vowel varying and taking 
its position as first person, prefixed with the personal pronoun only, 
e.g. E-kaii, dance ; O-ma, pusli. In the second person we find various 
consonants : in-a, dead ; n-es, good ; ma-skini , laugli ; tld-oki, bite ; 
and changes of vowel as a-tate, I throw ; a-tiete, tliou throwest. Is it 
possible to account for all these varying root letters, internal changes, 
and viewed inter-dialectally different Índex consonants ? Is it a hap- 
hazard jumble of sounds, or is there some clear simple law governing 
the various changes from letter to letter, vowel to vowel, and con- 
sonant to consonant 1 lí sucli a law exists, what is to be our guide, 
the vowel as root, or the consonant, or both ? Is sucli a law applicable 
to the Choroti standing alone, or must it be taken in conjunction with 
other dialects ? Does ki, for example, in Quechua contrast with pi in 
the same language ? or must the ki of Quechua and the pi of Mojo be 
contrasted ? 
