Enclosure: Peter S. Du Ponceau’s Comparison of Indian Numerals, [ca. 12 July 1820]
Enclosure
Peter S. Du Ponceau’s Comparison of Indian Numerals
[ca. 12 July 1820]
Indian Numerals
The Onondago is taken from Zeisberger’s Grammar
The Mohawk from Luther’s Cathechism, Swedish & Delaware
with a Short Mohawk Vocabulary
| 1. | Nottoway— | Unte | = | Onondago— | Skata | = | Mohawk | = | Onskat |
| 2. | Dekánee | tekeni | Tiggene | ||||||
| 3. | Arsa | Achso | Áxe | ||||||
| 4. | Hentag | Gaӯeri | Rayéne | ||||||
| 5. | Whisk | Wisk | Wisck | ||||||
| 6. | Oyag | Achiak | Yayak | ||||||
| 7. | Ohatag | Tchoatak | Tzadak | ||||||
| 8. | Dekra | Tekiro | Tickerom | ||||||
| 9. | Deheerunk | Watiro | Wáderom | ||||||
| 10. | Washa. | Wasshé | Washa |
Except in Nos 1. 4. 9. the analogy is evident=That of those three Numbers exists probably in the Tuscarora Dialect.=The German & Swedish spelling in the Onondago & Mohawk should be attended to—Dekánee with the English a acute, considering the frequent German Substitution of t for d, is exactly the Same as Tekeni; the English ag & the German ak are the Same. The English frequently drop the gutturals in their Spelling of Indian Words. Hence they write Achiak (ch guttural) Oyag, and Achsa, Arsa.1 More need not be said.
MS (DLC: TJ Papers, 218:38882); entirely in Du Ponceau’s hand; undated. FC (PPAmP: Historical and Literary Committee Letterbook); subjoined to covering letter.
zeisberger’s grammar: three manuscript grammars of the Onondaga language by the Moravian missionary David Zeisberger were on deposit at PPAmP at this time (, Transactions of the Historical & Literary Committee 1 [1819]: xlviii; Catalogue of the Library of the American Philosophical Society [Philadelphia, 1824], 231). Martin luther’s cathechism was Lutheri Catechismus Öfwersatt på American-Virginiske Språket, trans. John Campanius (Stockholm, 1696).
1. Preceding three words interlined.
Index Entries
- Christianity; Lutheran catechism search
- Delaware Indians search
- Du Ponceau, Peter Stephen; and Indians search
- Du Ponceau, Peter Stephen; Comparison of Indian Numerals search
- English language; and spelling of Indian words search
- German language; and Indian words search
- Indians, American; Delaware search
- Indians, American; languages search
- Indians, American; Mohawk search
- Indians, American; Nottoway search
- Indians, American; Onondaga search
- Indians, American; Tuscarora search
- language; Indian (American) search
- language; Swedish search
- Luther, Martin; Lutheri Catechismus Öfwersatt på American-Virginiske Språket search
- Lutheri Catechismus Öfwersatt på American-Virginiske Språket (M. Luther) search
- Mohawk Indians search
- Nottoway Indians search
- Onondaga Indians search
- Swedish language; and spelling of Indian words search
- Swedish language; works in search
- Tuscarora Indians search
- Zeisberger, David; and Indian languages search