Opuscula

On a Short Vocabulary of the Loucheux Language

By J. A. Isbister

READ
BEFORE THE PHILOLOGICAL SOCIETY,
JANUARY 25TH 1850.

This notice, being communicated by myself, and making part of the subject illustrated by both the papers that precede and the papers that follow, is here inserted.

The Digothe, or Loucheux, is the language of the North American Indians of the lower part of the river Mackenzie, a locality round which languages belonging to three different classes are spoken—the Eskimo, the Athabaskan, and the Koluch (Kolosh) of Russian America.

To which of these classes the Loucheux belongs, has hitherto been unascertained. It is learned with equal ease by both the Eskimo and Athabascan interpreters; at the same time an interpreter is necessary.

The following short vocabulary, however, shows that its more probable affinities are in another direction, i. e. with the languages of Russian America, especially with the Kenay of Cook’s Inlet; with which, whilst the pronouns agree, the remaining words differ no more than is usual with lists equally imperfect, even in languages where the connexion is undoubted.

English.	Loucheux.	Kenay.
white man	manah-gool-ait.
Indian	tenghie34	teena = man.
Eskimo	nak-high.
wind	etsee.
head wind	newatsee.
fair wind	jeatsee.
water	tchon35	thun-agalgus.
sun	shethie	channoo.
moon	shet-sill	tlakannoo.
stars	kumshaet	ssin.
meat	beh	kutskonna.
deer	et-han.
head	umitz	aissagge.
arm	tchiegen	skona.
leg	tsethan.
coat	chiegee.
blanket	tsthee.
knife	tlay	kissaki.
fort	jetz.
yes	eh.
no	illuck-wha.
far	nee-jah.
near	neak-wha.
strong	nehaintah.
cold	kateitlee	ktckchuz.
long	kawa.
enough	ekcho, ekatarainyo.
eat	beha.
drink	chidet-leh.
come	chatchoo.
go away	eenio.
I	see	su.
thou	nin	nan.
(my) father	(se) tsay	stukta.
(my) son	(se) jay	ssi-ja.

Notes

The notices upon the American languages at the British Association between the date of the last paper but one and the next were:

That the Bethuk of Newfoundland was American rather than Eskimo—Report for 1847. Transactions of the Section p. 115.

That the Shyenne numerals were Algonkin—Report for 1847. Transactions of Sections p. 123.

That neither
The Moskito, nor
The Botocudo language were isolated.

—Ibid.