A Life on the American Frontiers: Collected Works of Henry Schoolcraft. Henry Rowe Schoolcraft

Powder Mukkud-aing In, &c. the powder. Pimmedai Grease Pimmid-aing In, &c. the grease. e. Second inflection in eeng.26 Seebi River Seeb-eeng In, &c. the river. Neebi Water Neeb-eeng In, &c. the water. Miskwi Blood Miskw-eeng In, &c. the blood. Unneeb Elm Unneeb-eeng In, &c. the elm. i. Third inflection in ing. Kôn Snow Kôn-ing In, &c. the snow. Min Berry Meen-ing In, &c. the berry. Chimân Canoe Chimân-ing In, &c. the canoe. Muzziny´egun Book Muzziny´egun-ing In, &c. the book. o. Fourth inflection in oong. Azhibik Rock Azhibik-oong In, &c. the rock. Gizhig Sky Gizhig-oong In, &c. the sky. Kimmiwun Rain Kimmiwun-oong In, &c. the rain. Akkik Kettle Akkik-oong In, &c. the kettle. Throw it in the fire. 1. Puggidôn ishkod-aing. Go into the prairie. 2. Muskôdaing izhân. He is in the elm. 3. Unneeb-eeng iâ. It is on the water. 4. Nib-eeng attai. Put it on the table. 5. Addôpôwin-ing attôn. Look in the book. 6. Enâbin muzziny´igun-ing. You stand in the rain. 7. Kimmiwun-oong ki nibow. What have you in that box. 8. Waigonain aitaig mukuk-oong. Put it in the kettle. 9. Akkik-oong attôn, or Pôdawain. My bow is not in the lodge; neither is it in the canoe, nor on the rock. 10. Kâwin pindig iâsi ni mittigwâb; kâwiuh gyai chimân-ing; kâwin gyai âzhibik-oong.

      An attentive inspection of these examples will show, that the local form pertains either to such nouns of the animate class, as are in their nature inanimates, or at most possessed of vegetable life. And here another conclusion presses upon us—that where these local terminations, in all their variety, are added to the names of animated beings, when such names are the nominatives of adjectives or adjective-nouns, these words are converted into terms of qualification, indicating like, resembling, equal. Thus, if we wish to say to a boy, he is like a man, the expression is, Inin-ing izzhinâgozzi; or if to a man, he is like a bear, Mukk-oong izzhinâgozzi; or to a bear, he is like a horse, Pabaizhikogâzh-ing izzhinâgozzi. In all these expressions the word izzhi, is combined with the pronominal inflection â (or nâ) and the animate termination gozzi. And the inflection of the nominative is merely an adjective correspondence with izzhi:—a term indicative of the general qualities of persons or animated beings. Where a comparison is instituted or a resemblance pointed out between inanimate instead of animate objects, the inflection gozzi, is changed to gwud, rendering the expression, which was, in the animate form, izzhinâgozzi, in the inanimate form, izzhinâgwud.

      There is another variation of the local form of the noun, in addition to those above instanced, indicative of locality in a more general sense. It is formed by ong or nong—frequent terminations in geographical names. Thus from Ojibwai, (Chippewa), is formed Ojibwainong, Place of the Chippewas. From Wamittigozhiwug, Frenchmen, is formed Wamittigozhinong, Place of Frenchmen. From Ishpatinâ hill, Ishpatinong, Place of the hill, &c. The termination ing, is also sometimes employed in this more general sense, as in the following names of places.

      Monomonikâning. In the place of wild rice. Moninggwunikâning. In the place of Sparrows Ongwashagooshing. In the place of the fallen tree. &c.

      2. The diminutive forms of the noun are indicated by ais, eas, ôs, and aus, as the final vowel of the word may require. Thus Ojibwai, a Chippewa, becomes Ojibw-ais, a little Chippewa: Iniṅ´i, a man, inin-ees, a little man: Amik, a beaver, amik-ôs, a young beaver: Ogimâ, a chief, ogim-âs, a little chief, or a chief of little authority. Further examples may be added.

Simple form.