[From the Proceedings op thb American Association for the Advancement 
 OF SCIENCE, Vol. XXXVIII, 1889. 
 
 AlGONKIN ONOMATOLOGY, with 80MK COMPAIIISONS WITH BASQUE. By 
 
 Alex. F. CiiAMnKRLAiN, Toronto, Out. 
 
 [ABSTRACT.] 
 
 Thk subject of comparative onomatology is of importnnce as an evi- 
 dence of the mental acquirements of tlie races of people compared. It is 
 closely related to history and folk-lore, as both these sciences are called 
 into play in the interpretation of names (here taken in the widest sense). 
 Comparative onomatology, as far as regards our Indian languages, is al- 
 most an unexplored field. There are several groups which afl'ord nn invit- 
 ing harvest, such as the Siouan, Iroquoian, Algonkin, with their numerous 
 dialects. It is with Algonkin, however, that the writer of this paper in- 
 tends to deal, turning to the I'asque at times for useful Illustrations and 
 comparisons. The subject may be divided under several heads, viz. : 
 (1) Names of inanimate objects of nature, earth, sea, sky, sun, moon, 
 stars; as moon, in Cree, tipi8kd,wipisim, in Ojebway tibigisiss^ night sun ; 
 Basque illargi (moon)=light of death. (2) Names of animals, birds, in- 
 sects, fish, etc. : gopher, in Cree, potatchikasew, in Ojebway, potatchipin- 
 gwasi = the thing that blows up loose eartli ; crawfish, in Cree, asakoxo, in 
 Ojebway, ashagashi = the thing tliat moves backward ; whltefish, attikamek 
 {Cree) , atikmneg (Ojebway)=tiic caribou-fish (the caribou of the waters) j 
 swan, in Cree, wd,pmw, Ojebway tca&m = the white (bird); in Basque, 
 sagvzara (bat)==old mouse; weasel, angereder pretty maid; dory (flsh), 
 arraingorri = red flsh. (3) Names of tj:eas, plants, fruits, etc. : sassafras, 
 menaywakomia (Mi8si8sagHa)=scented tree; oak, in Cree, maskwd.Uik= 
 hardwood; a sort of willow, mahiganttttik (Cree)=woirs wood; cran- 
 berry, viaakekomin (Cree), maslikiyemin (Oiebwa.y)=muskegamin (Missis- 
 8agua)=marsh-frult; strawberrj, otchemin (Cree), othnin (Mississag'ia) 
 od&"»»i« (Ojebway) =heari-fruit; in Basque, oak, act«2;=the hard (stony) 
 wtod ; quince ira-sagar, Ira-appie ; osier, «M»ne=thin, small tree. (4) Names 
 of implements. Instruments, etc. Bend, mariitominia (Mississagua)=mys- 
 tery-t-eed; chisel, eslikon (Mis8i,ssagua)=horn; needle, in Cree sUbonigan, 
 Ojebway s/ia6onif/on=thatwhlcli pierces; in Basque, sling, H6a/iarri=stoue- 
 tliong; axe, aizkora, connected with aite=8tone. (5) Names of seasons, 
 months, etc. : January, 'n Cree, k%sipisim=\X\e great month, in Ojebway, 
 n»a7jiJo-j7isis r= spirit-moon ; May, in Cree, m's^i-pist'm = month of the ou- 
 tarde, in Ojebway, xc&bigoni-gisU^xaoon of flowers; compare in Basque: 
 urtarrilla ( January) =uionth of wateis, or perhaps month of the year == 
 principal niorth (?), osMlla, oataro (May)==month of leaves, time of foli- 
 age. (C) Names of members of the human body, etc. : thumb. In Cree, 
 miiitchich&it, Ojebway, viUchitchinimlj— great flnger, in Basque, beatzlodi, 
 
 (351) 
 
352 SECTION H. 
 
 atzlodi (thuinb)=tliick finger. (7) Names of animals, plants, Instruments, 
 materials, ol)jects, etc., of exotic origin: Horse, in Cree, »)us<a^i*»i=blg 
 dog, In Ojebway, p;ipa;'jcojris/u'=the animal with undivided hoof; sheep, in 
 Ojebvvay, manitanis, In Cree, mestjani»=X,\\e animal with the hide that is not 
 durable; carrot, in Ojebway, osaiC<c/»'es=:yellow turnip; looking-glass, In 
 MIssissagua, tt>a6Jmo<c/u'c/ta(/waii=wliere ghosts are seen; shot, in Missls- 
 sagna, s/tts/ti6anMin(;=duck-stoues. (8) Ethnic names, Nehiyawok (Crees) 
 =the true, real, men; Mississagw!i=\,\\ovi<'. whodwell where there are many 
 mouths of rivers; PoJaioatom j=(Ire-makers (let. we are making Are) ; ac- 
 cording to Long the Ojebway call themselves JVeenowesii=they wiio speak 
 a natural language ; compare the Basque euskara=t\\Q Basque language, 
 euskaldun^a. Basque (euskara, according to Humboldt=the language par 
 excellence). (9) Personal names : Ofirima/H"Hesft=chief-blrd, Asaiobanung 
 =stars in a cluster, names of Mlsslssaguas at Scugog ; in Basque, Echeherri 
 =new house, JFc/je5farrti/=excellent house. (10) Words of onomatopoeic 
 origin: in Cree, we^weit (goose), oAas!'o (crovr) , k&kMiw (raven), kokus 
 (hog), sisib (duck), in Cjebway, toewe (goose), shishib (duck), kakaki 
 (raven), kokosh (hog). In Basque, kakaraz, clucking of hens, irhinziri= 
 neighing of horses. (11) Words (apparently radical) of which the etymo- 
 logical significations are not apparent : 
 
 (bear) (bee) (blueberry) (earth) 
 
 Ojebway, mukwa, amo, miii, aki, 
 Cree, maskioa, &mow, min, askiy, 
 
 In Basque ; toad, abo ; flsh, arrnt; head, buru; ego, wing; gau (night) ; 
 ibai, river. 
 
 (12) AVords denoting abstract Ideas often of recent origin. 
 
 Many of the words to be considered Involve questions of history {e.g., the 
 names given by the Algonklns to the English, French, Americans, etc.) or 
 of folk-lore (e. g., the names of the rainbow, milky way, etc., and some 
 names of animals, etc., as the raccoon) and are of the greatest value in the 
 study of the development of aboriginal Ideas. 
 
 (mooae) 
 
 (porcupine) 
 
 mons, 
 
 kak, 
 
 monswa. 
 
 ktikwa. 
 
 The two brothers : a Mississagua lbqend. By A. F. Chaiviberlaik, 
 Toronto, Ont. 
 
 [ABSTUACT.] 
 
 The writer related a legend dictated to him, both 'n Indian and English, 
 by an aged Mississagua woman at Scugog Island. The tale, which is a 
 very old one, is peculiar on account of the variety of incident and actions 
 performed by the hero Assemoka (the tobacco-maker). Assemoka and his 
 brother camped together long ago, and the former made up Ills mind to 
 travel into tlie world. So at length he set out and after l)eing metamor- 
 phosed into a tree, and a stick in the river (by his own volition), from which 
 
ANTHROPOLOGY. 353 
 
 positions he is rescued by his brother, he tnivels (after the latter has de- 
 clared he will help him no more) until he comes to a village in which all 
 the people except a boy and a girl are dead. Assemoka rtnds out that they 
 have been killed by a bad old woman who set them to fetch the wliite loon 
 that dwells in the middle of the sea, a task they failed to accomplish. Asse- 
 moka obtains the white loon for the children and tells them to ask the old 
 woman to get the chipmunk's horn ; this she fails to do and Assemoka kills 
 her. He then makes a little bow and arrows for the boy, and tells hhn to 
 shoot up into the air three times which he does, and at the third time the 
 people rise from the dead. 
 
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