This is an updated version of an e-text originally produced in November 2006; see end of text for notes.

The e-text consists of two separately published books:

Spellings for the Schools in the Chipeway Language
Sketch of Grammar of the Chippeway Language

In the first book (Spellings...), the hyphen - is used to separate syllables. In the second book (Grammar...) the hyphen seems to represent the glottal stop.

In the word lists of the first book, the first entry in each column was sometimes— but not consistently— capitalized. This capitalization has been retained, whether or not the e-text layout replicates the original.

A few punctuation marks in the paradigms and vocabulary lists have been supplied or regularized. Other errors and anomalies are noted with mouse-hover popups. Bracketed text is in the original.

[Spelling]
[Grammar]
[Notes on Updated Text]

Contents (added by transcriber)

[Spellings for the Schools]

[Spellings]

[Prayers]

[Sketch of Grammar]

[Nouns, Pronouns]

[Adjectives] (including Numbers)

[Verbs]

[Conjugation of "to love"] (active)

[Conjugation of "to be"]

[Conjugation of "to be loved"] (passive)

[Participles, Adverbs, Prepositions, Conjunctions, Interjections]

[A Fable]

[Formation of Words]

[Vocabulary]

[ SPELLINGS]

FOR THE

SCHOOLS

IN THE

CHIPEWAY LANGUAGE.

Ah-ne-she-nah-pay, Oo-te-ke-too-we-nun; Kah-ke-ke-noo-ah-mah-ween-twah e-kewh, Ka-nah-wah-pahn-tah-gigk Mah-ze-nah-e-kun.

YORK, U. CANADA:

Printed for the Canada Conference Missionary Society.

1828

[SPELLINGS.]

Words of one Syllable.

Words of two Syllables accented on the second.

Words of two Syllables, accented on the second.

Words of two syllables accented on the 1st & 2nd.

Words of three syllables accented on the 1st & 2nd.

Words of three Syllables, accented on the second and third.

Words of three Syllables, accented on the second and
half accent on the third.

Words of three Syllables accented on the first and third.

Words of three syllables accented on the last.

Words of three syllables accented on the last.

Words of four syllables, accented on the second and fourth.

Words of four syllables accented on the sixth.

Words of five syllables, a full accent on the last,
and half accent on the second.

Words of five syllables, accented on the first, the third and last.

Accented on the two first and last.

Too toosh pim me tay

Words of six syllables accented on the third and last.

Accented on the second and last.

Accented on the third and two last.

Accented on the 4th and last.

Ahn e me tah koo zin.

[ THE LORD'S PRAYER.]

Ke-sha-mun-ne-too Oo-que-son Oo-tah-nu-me-tah-koo-se-win.

Neeng-ke-che noo-se-non, Ish-pe-ming a-yah-yun. Ka-che-mun-ne-too-we-ne-kah-soo-yun. Ke-ke-che-ke-too-ke-mah-we-win pe-tah-we-she-nom. A-na-ne-me-wong-kane oo-mah-ke-zhe ah-keeng ne-kah-e-she-wa-pe-se-min; tah-pe-schooch a-she-wa-buk e-we-ty Ish-pe-ming. Me-she-she-nom ka-ne-tah-soo ke-she-kuk me-chim pe-mah-te-se-win. Ki-ya pa-kah-shah-wa-ne-me-she-nom che-sah-ke-che-wa-pe-nah-mah-we-yong mah-che-ah-ye-e-wish, nah-sahb-e-koo a-she shah-wa-ne-mong-ke-twah oo-kooh kah-pah-tah-e-yah-me-ke-chik, ki-ya keen e-she-shah-wa-ne-me-she-nom. Ka-goo we-kah ing-koo-chee ah-ne-e-she-we-she-she-kah-kane che-nah-ne-sah-ne-se-yong; mah-noo sah-koo kah-ke-nah shah-koo-te-nah-mah-we-she-nom mah-che-ah-ye-e-wish. Keen-mah-ween ke te-pain-tahn ke-che-oo-ke-mah-we-win, ki-ya euh ke-che-e-she-wa-pe-se-win, ki-ya euh ah-nah-me-ah-win ka-che-me-nwa-tah-quok, kah-ke-nik ki-ya kah-ke-nik.—Amen.

GRACE BEFORE MEAT.

Ah-noo-shoo-tah-mah-ka-win, che-pwah-we-se-ningk.

O Ke-sha-mun-ne-too Ish-pe-ming a-yah-yun, Shah-wain-tah-mah-we-she-nom mahn-tdah me-chim-pe-mah-te-se-win, kah-pah-ke-te-nah-mah-we-yongk; me-tdush ka-oon-je-mah-skah-we-se-yongk che-ah-noo-ke-tah-koo yun; me-owh Jesus Christ a-spa-ne-moo-yongk. Amen.

GRACE AFTER MEAT.

Ah-noo-shoo-tah-mah-ka-win, kah-e-squah, we-se-ningk.

O Ke-sha-mun-ne-too, neeng-keche Noo-se-non, me-quaich wa-wa-neh kah-we-se-ne-yongk noo-koom, ki-ya ain-tah-soo-ke-she-kuck shah-wain-ne-me-yongk; me-sah-owh Jesus Christ kah-ke-nigk ka-ah-pa-ne-moo-yongk. Amen.

[SKETCH]

OF

GRAMMAR

OF THE

CHIPPEWAY LANGUAGE,

TO WHICH IS ADDED

A VOCABULARY

Of some of the most common Words.

BY JOHN SUMMERFIELD,
alias,
SAHGAHJEWAGAHBAHWEH.

Cazenovia:

PRESS OF J. F. FAIRCHILD & SON.

1834.

ADVERTISEMENT.

The following pages were written as an exercise for my leisure hours, while attending the Oneida Conference Seminary during the past winter. As it is the first attempt that, to my knowledge, has ever been made to reduce the Chippeway language to any system, it cannot be expected to be otherwise than imperfect, and perhaps may hereafter be found to be, in some respects, erroneous. It is, however, as free from errors as my present means have enabled me to make it. It has been printed at the request of my friends, by a fellow student, at his own suggestion and expense.

J. SUMMERFIELD.

Cazenovia, April 10, 1834.

SKETCH OF GRAMMAR, &c.

The Letters used in the Chippeway Language, are twenty-one, viz. A, a; B, b; C, c; D, d; E, e; G, g; H, h; I, i; J, j; K, k; M, m; N, n; O, o; P, p; Q, q; S, s; T, t; U, u; W, w; Y, y; Z, z. F, L, R, V, and X, are not used.

There are, in the Chippeway Language, ten parts of Speech, namely, the article, the noun, the pronoun, the adjective, the verb, the participle, the adverb, the preposition, the conjunction, and the interjection.

OF THE ARTICLE.

There is but one Article, used definitely both in the masculine and neuter genders, viz. Owh, the, m.; Ewh, the, n.

[OF NOUNS.]

A Noun is the name of any person, place, or thing; as, Eneneh, man; Kahdahnahqueeng, Kingston; metig, tree.

Nouns are of two sorts, Common and Proper.

Common Nouns stand for kinds containing many sorts, or for sorts containing many individuals under them; as, Ahwaseeh, animal; eneneh, man; kegownh, fish; penaseh, bird.

Proper Nouns are the names appropriated to individuals, as, Charles, Cazenovia, Ganges. [N.B. Proper names, with a few exceptions, are the same as in English.]

To Nouns belong gender, person, number, and case.

GENDER.

Gender is the distinction of nouns with regard to sex.

Nouns have three genders, the masculine, the feminine, and the neuter.

The masculine gender denotes males; as, Eneneh, man.

The feminine gender is applied to animals, fishes, and birds; as, Nahbak, a she bear, &c.

The neuter gender denotes things without sex; as, Wewahquon, a hat.

NUMBER.

Number is the distinction of objects as one or more.

Nouns are of two numbers, the singular and the plural.

The singular number implies but one object; as, Mahzenahegun, a book.

The plural number implies more than one; as, Mahzhenahegahnun, books.

CASE.

Nouns have three cases, the nominative, the possessive, and the objective.

The nominative case simply expresses the name of a thing, &c.; as, Owh quewesanceoobahkahmegezeh, the boy plays.

The possessive case expresses the relation of property or possession, and always ends with the letter o; as, Noosayo wegewaum, my father's house.

The objective case expresses the object of an action or of relation; as John owejeahn Charles, John assists Charles.

Nouns may be declined in the following manner:

OF PRONOUNS.

A Pronoun is a word used instead of a noun, to avoid repeating the same word; as, Pahpenatum eneneh, the man is happy; Pahpenatum, he is happy.

PERSONAL PRONOUNS.

There are three personal pronouns, viz. Neen, I; keen, thou; ween, he; with their plurals, Nenahwind, we; kenahwah, ye or you; wenahwah, they.

Personal pronouns have person, number, gender and case.

The persons of pronouns are three in each number, viz.

Neen, I, is the first person, Keen, thou, is the second person, Ween, he, is the third person,		Singular.
Nenahwind, we, is the first person, Kenahwah, you, is the second person, Wenahwah, they, is the third person,			Plural.

Number.—Pronouns have two numbers, the singular and the plural.

Case.—Pronouns have three cases, the nominative, the possessive, and the objective.

Pronouns cannot be declined. The cases of each person have the same form.

[OF ADJECTIVES.]

An Adjective is a word added to a noun to express its quality; as, quahnoj eneneh, a good man; menwawezheh eneneh, an industrious man.

Adjectives are not varied to agree with their nouns, nor do they have any regular comparison.

The following is a list of Numeral Adjectives:

[OF VERBS.]

A Verb is a word which signifies to be, to do, or to suffer; as, Nedahyah, I am; Nedebahkoonewa, I rule; Nedebahkoonegoo, I am ruled.

Verbs are of three kinds, active, passive, and neuter.

A Verb Active expresses an action, and necessarily implies an agent and an object acted upon; as, Nezhahgeah James, I love James.

A Verb Passive expresses passion or a suffering or the receiving of an action, and implies an object acted upon, and an agent by which it is acted upon; as, Chezhahwane­ding, to be loved; John ooje­zhahwanemah neen, John is loved by me.

A Verb Neuter expresses neither action nor passion, but being or a state of being; as, Nenebah, I sleep; Nenahmahdub, I sit.

Verbs have number, person, mood and tense.

NUMBER AND PERSON.

Verbs have two numbers, the singular and the plural.

There are three persons in each number; as,

MOOD.

The moods are five, Indicative, Subjunctive, Imperative, Potential, and the Infinitive.

The Indicative declares or affirms positively, or it asks a question; as, Zhahwanega, he loves; Zhahwaneganah? Does he love?

The Subjunctive expresses action or passion in a doubtful manner; as, Kespin zhahwane­gaid, if he loves.

The Imperative is used for commanding, exhorting, and entreating; as, Mahjahn keen, depart thou; Noodahmooyook, do thou listen.

The Potential implies possibility, liberty, power, will; as, Tahgemewan kahnahbuge, it may rain; Kegahwesenemin kiya kahmenequamin, we shall eat and drink.

The Infinitive simply expresses the signification of the verb; as, Cheezechegang, to do; Chegegedoong, to speak.

TENSE.

Verbs have six tenses, the present, the imperfect, the perfect, the pluperfect, the first and second future tenses.

The present tense represents a present action as taking place at the time in which it is mentioned; as, Nebop, I laugh; Newob, I see; Nedenadum, I think.

The imperfect tense denotes past action or event however distant, finished, but without defining the exact time of its completion; as, Oodanongezahbahneeg ahpe naquaskahwod, they were travelling to the town when he met them.

The perfect tense refers not only to what is past but also conveys an allusion to the present time; as, Ahzheh negegezhetoon nemahzhenahegun, I have finished my letter.

The pluperfect tense represents a thing, not only as past, but also as prior to some other point of time specified in the sentence; as, Ahzehnegegezhetonahbun letter chebwabedahgweshing, I had finished my letter before he arrived.

The first future tense represents the action as yet to come, either with or without respect to the precise time when; as, Owh kezis tahbemookahum wahbung, the sun will rise to-morrow.

The second future tense represents a future action that will be accomplished before another future action; as, Negahwesenenahbun nahwahquaig, I shall have dined at twelve o'clock.

A Verb is conjugated in the following manner:

[ TO LOVE.—indicative mood.]

IMPERATIVE MOOD.

POTENTIAL MOOD.

SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.

INFINITIVE MOOD.

PARTICIPLES.

[ Conjugation of the Verb TO BE.]

INDICATIVE MOOD.

IMPERATIVE MOOD.

POTENTIAL MOOD.

SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.

INFINITIVE MOOD.

PARTICIPLES.

[ Conjugation of the Passive Verb TO BE LOVED.]

INDICATIVE MOOD.

IMPERATIVE MOOD.

POTENTIAL MOOD.

SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.

INFINITIVE MOOD.

PARTICIPLES.

[OF PARTICIPLES.]

A Participle is a word derived from a Verb, and has the nature of a verb and also of an adjective.

Verbs have two participles, the present and the perfect.

The present participle denotes action or being continued, but not finished. It generally ends in ing, eng, or g; as, Tebahkooneding, Ruling, &c.

The perfect participle denotes action or being, finished. This can also be distinguished by its ending in ed or d; as Pahpid, laughed; Shoshomequanid, smiled.

OF ADVERBS.

An Adverb is a word used to modify the sense of a verb, &c.; as, Kagate quahnoj eneneh, a truly good man.

List of Adverbs:

1. Ingooding, once; neshing, twice; nesing, thrice.

2. Netum, first; Esquache, lastly.

3. Omah, here; ahnedeh, where; negoojee, somewhere; kahweenegoojee, nowhere; ishpeming nahkayah, upward; nesahye-ee nahkayah, downward; esquayong nahkayah, backward; negaun nahkayah, forward, &c.

4. Noogoom, now; chekezheguk, to-day; mawezhah, long ago; pejenahgooh, yesterday; noomahyah, lately; wahbung, to-morrow; bahmah, by and by; kahmahsheh, not yet; kahyahsekah, instantly; waweeb, immediately.

5. Pahgee, little; ahneenmenik, how much.

6. Koonemah, perhaps; mekahweh, perchance.

7. Kagate, verily; aahe, yes, &c.

8. Kah, no; kahweengahnahga, not at all.

9. Ahneen, how; ahneeshnah, why; ahnahpe, when.

10. Nahwuj, more; kagahkoo, most.

OF PREPOSITIONS.

Prepositions serve to connect words with one another and to show the relation between them; as, Cazenove angkeojemahjahkezhodt York, he went from Cazenovia to York.

List of Prepositions:

Pahzhejahye-ee, over; ahnahmahye-ee, under; shepahye-ee, through; ishpeming, above; nesahye-ee, below; keoonjee, from; peoonjee, from; ahwashema, beyond; chegahye-ee, near; negaun, before; Ishquayong, behind; wahsah, off; oogejahye-ee, on or upon; magwaahye-ee, among; ahzheh, after; ahpahgahjeahye-ee, against; ahgahmahye-ee, across; kewetahye-ee, around; nahwahye-ee, amidst; enahkayah, toward, &c.

OF CONJUNCTIONS.

A Conjunction is a word used to connect sentences, so as out of two to make one.

Conjunctions are of two sorts, the Copulative and the Disjunctive.

The following are some of the Conjunctions:

Cop. Kiya, and; Kespin, if; Owh, that; nahyanze, both; dushween, then; ahpe, since; mesah, therefore; ahnesh, wherefore.

Dis. Atah, but; ahzheh, as; dush, than; koone, though; mahmesahwahwah, unless; kespuge, except; pooch, yet.

OF INTERJECTIONS.

An Interjection is a word used to express the sudden emotions of the speaker; as, Tahwah! pemahdezewin nelojegootoge! Alas! I fear for life! O neboowin! Ahneshekewesahgandahmoowin? O death! Where is thy sting?

List of Interjections:

Earnestness or Grief; O! ah! tahwah, alas!

Joy; Yahhahne! yahhahne! &c.

Wonder; Mahmahkahdahkahmig, strange! hahe, hah!

Aversion; Saih! ahwas, away!

Attention; Nah, hark! Nahbin, behold!

Surprise or Fear; Ingee! Tauneyohne! yohe!

Laughter; Ha! ha! ha!

Requesting silence; Easta, hist! pezahnahbin, silence!

Calling; ahneene, halloo!

Salutation; Mequaich, welcome!

[A FABLE—[Translated from the English.]

OWH WAHGOOSH KIYA EWH MASK.

The second page of the "Fable" is imperfectly reproduced, so the last letter on each printed line is conjectural. They are shown here in lighter type.

Kegahweendahmoonin kache dahkooahyod ahdesookaun, kecheoneshesheh dushweengooh.

Wahgoosh ingooding keezhahgoobun haberdashero dahdahwawegahmig. Emah metahskahkahmig ahyahtanegoobun kache gwahnahjewong mask, keoonje ozhechegahdagoobun ahwegah cheahyood mamahjenood ahpe herongh azhe obahkahmegezhejin. Ewh mask egewh mawezhah, meowh ahpe owh ahdesookaun tebaindahgowk, ahgwahnahung kahkenah ewh ostegwan dahgooh helmiting, kiya kahwekah mamahjenood ezheoobahkahmegezhese ayahsenenegoon. Mahmahdah wechegawenebun, owhdush ezhechegang kahweendush kedahwahbahdah zhenon ewh odangowh owh wabahkahmegezid, kiya koonemah anahnookewenegwain nahchebahpid or mahwid, ewh mask ahpun ewh nahsob azhenahgowk.

Owh wahgoosh kahgezheyaindum, wahjapezeh. Oge quakenon ewh mask menahwah kiya menahwah. Oge gahnahwahbahdaun emah ahgwahjeeye-ee, kiya gahnahwahbahdaun emah peenjahye-ee.

Ewh ahgwahjeeye-ee keche shooshoo ahyahgoobun kiya kegezhechegahdagoobun! Ewh peenjahye-ee webahgoobun. Kagate onesheshin oostegwan ayaug omah, ekedoo owh wahgoosh; kagate mejenahwa yahdahkahmig kahwenaindib ahyahsenoog!

Nahnind quahnoj quewesansug ahyahwug kiya equasansug kemahzheh ekoogenedwah oowh enaindahmoowod kahween kagoo ohbahbah mahndahsenahwah, ewh atah oobeshegadahgoosewenewah, ahgoonwatahtesuwod kagoo chekekadahmoowod medush azhe quakeskahwod enahkahkayah wahwazheowening. Koonemah eneneh odah ahtood ewh onindj emah ostegwahning onowh pazhik kiya tahekedooh kahekedood owh wahgoosh kagate sahquahnoj owh oostegwan omah ayog kagate sah mejenah wayahdahkahmig ahyah senoog ewh wenaindib.

Eneneh tahezhah ishpeming, ahyahnzig menoo bemahdezewin, ahyahnzig kechetwahwezewin, ahyahnzig ogemahwewin, ahyahnzig kekenooahmahdewin, ahyahwahsig wejekewayun; kah dushween tahezhahsee ewhety ishpeming ahyahwahsig Christ.

A man may go to heaven without health, without wealth, without honor, without learning, without friends; but he can never go to heaven without Christ.

[ OF THE FORMATION OF WORDS.]

It is difficult with us to speak the words themselves.—The words odoon, onik, okod, ozid, okun, do not mean respectively, mouth, arm, leg, foot, bone; but his mouth, his arm, his leg, his foot, his bone. By leaving out the letter o we have the words mouth, arm, &c. themselves: thus, doon, nik, kod, zid, kun. The former is the usual way of speaking, the latter is correct.

By the following illustration it will be better understood how words are formed:

[VOCABULARY.]

Alphabetization is as in the original.

[ A ] [ B ] [ C ] [ D ] [ E ] [ H ] [ I ] [ K ] [ M ] [ N ]
[ O ] [ P ] [ Q ] [ S ] [ T ] [ U ] [ W ] [ Z ]

[A.]

Aahe, adv. yes

Ahbenoojhee, n. a child

Ahbewin, n. a room