A.
Aachen.
A sub-dialect of low-German or Platt-Deutsch, vernacular at Aix-la-Chapelle, Lower Rhine. See Müller and Weitz’s “Idiomatikon,” Leipsig, 1836.
Ababdeh or Abadeh.
Semitic: a different form of speech was formerly vernacular at Sheikh Abade, in Upper Egypt; the site of some ancient ruins on the banks of the Nile. Since superseded by Arabic. Adelung: “Mithridates,” iv., p. 502.
⁂ A division of the Beja, Bejawi, or Bishari family; they are the most northerly members of this class, which occupies the desert between the Nile and Red Sea from Cosseir to Suakim. R. G. L.
Abadja.
African: a sub-dialect of the Otam.
Abak.
A dialect of the Philippine Islands, closely allied to Bissayan and Tagala. See Jülg’s “Vater,” p. 1.
Abantes.
An extinct form of speech, classed as Thraco-Illyrian, formerly vernacular in the I. of Eubœa, now called Negropont or Egripos, in the Grecian Archipelago. Adelung: “Mithridates,” ii., p. 362.
Abasci or Abassian, see [Absne].
Abbeville.
A sub-dialect of French, vernacular in Picardy. See De Soilly’s “Idiome Picard,” Abbeville, 1833.
Abbitibbe.
American: dialect of the Christinos or Cree Indians; classed as Algonkin. See Jülg’s “Vater,” p. 204.
Abenaki or Abenaqui.
A dialect of the Algonkin race of N. American Indians, spoken in Lower Canada and the State of Maine. The tribe once occupied the valley of the R. Kennebeck; but the name also includes the Etchemins, Micmacs, and others. See Rasles. Dict., 1833; Vocabulary in Amer. Ethnol. Trans, ii., p. 109.
Abiponian.
A name given by the early Spaniards to the language spoken on the western bank of the Parana in S. America; although on the borders of the Gran Chaco it differs considerably from the dialects spoken in that district. See Dobrizhoffer’s “Geschichte,” 3 vols., 8vo, Vienna, 1784. D. F.
Abor.
A dialect of Assamese, spoken by a hill tribe on the north-western extremity of Assam. Logan, Jnl. Indian Archipelago, 1853, p. 190. See [Aka].
Absne or Abkhazian.
A name for the ancient Abasci, now represented by Abascia or Abgah (Abkasia), a country of Asiatic Russia, lying between the Caspian and Black Seas. The modern word Absné is called Abkhazi by the Georgians; with the terminal “eti” for “land,” it is Abkhazeti, and extends from Soukum-kale to Jenikale. The affinities of the Absné language are very uncertain; a large number of its words are similar to Circassian, but a larger proportion apparently not so. See Vocabularies in Güldenstädt’s “Reisen;” Klaproth’s “Reise;” “Asia Polyglotta,” &c. H. H. H.
Abyssinian, see [Agau], [Amharic], [Galla], [Tigre], &c. ☞
Acadian.
American: That division of the Algonkin family containing the languages of Lower Canada and Nova Scotia.
Acaxe.
American: a doubtful name for a probable dialect of the Tubar.
Accad.
The oldest known language before the Semitic population settled in Mesopotamia. W. S. W. V. See [Akkadian].
Accaway.
A dialect of native S. American, belonging to the Carib, or Karib group. Vernacular in the Highlands of British Guiana.
⁂ Carib of Demerara, closely allied to the Carabisi. See Hilhouse, Schomburgk, &c.
Accra or Accarah.
A language of the Mandingo branch of native African, spoken by a small nation on the Gold-coast, about lat. 5° 35′ N., long. 0° 12′ W.; it is sometimes designated the Ghah or Ga, and the people are supposed to have been removed by emigration from the interior. Ghana or Gana is a city, governed by a Sultaun, near the upper course of the Niger. Rask’s “Vejledning,” 8vo, Copenhagen, 1828. See [Aquapim].
Achæmenian Persian.
The name of that form of the Old Persian language which is used in the inscriptions of the Achæmenian kings, or the line of native monarchs which commenced with Cyrus the Great and terminated with Darius Codomannus, the antagonist of Alexander. The language is written in an arrow-headed or cuneiform character of a simple kind, and is closely akin to the Zend, Pazend, and the modern Persian. The best work on the language is that of Spiegel, “Altpersische Keilinschriften.” G. R.
Achagua.
A dialect of native S. American, vernacular on the R. Casanare, a tributary of the R. Orinoco; and closely allied to Maipur. “Mithridates,” iii., p. 631.
Achastli.
American: spoken on the coast of California between San Francisco and St. Diego.
Achinese.
A language of the Malayan family, spoken in the kingdom of Ache or Achin, the northernmost part of Sumatra. It is distinguished from all other Malay languages by having the accent on the terminal instead of the penultimate syllable, and by a good deal of monosyllables. It is at present very little known, but its presumed affinity to the monosyllabic languages of Asia renders its study highly interesting for investigating the origin of the Malay race. P. J. V.
Acoma.
A dialect of native American, vernacular in New Mexico. It is one of the dialects spoken by the Pueblo Indians on the R. Grande. It is also called Laguna.
Acroa-Merim.
American: a dialect of the Gez class, vernacular in Brazil. See Von Martius, vol. ii., p. 144.
Adaihe or Adaihi.
A very isolated language of N. American. Spoken in Louisiana, in 1805, by forty individuals only. Vocabulary in “Archæologia Americana.” It is also called Atayo. Vocabulary Amer. Ethn. Trans., vol. ii., p. 95.
Adali (pl. Adaiel or Adal.)
Largely Semitic. An Abyssinian dialect, spoken by the tribes between the Highlands and the sea-coast. See Salt’s “Voyage,” Appdx. i., p. 6. C. T. B.
Adampi.
A native African dialect, closely resembling Accra and Krepee, vernacular on the Gold-coast, W. Africa.
Adareb, see [Beja].
Adelaide.
A variety of native Australian, formerly vernacular at Adelaide, S. Australia; it differs but little from other dialects of the Gulf St. Vincent.
Adige.
A name for the Circassian proper, as opposed to the Apkhaz.
Adiyah.
Otherwise Fernandian: the language of Fernando Po, an island on the W. coast of Africa, near the mouths of the Niger.
Æolic.
A dialect of ancient Greek spoken in Bœotia, Thessaly, Ætolia, Elis, Lesbos, Chios and the N.W. part of Asia Minor. Pindar, Sappho, and Alcæus wrote in it. G. R.
Æthiopic, under [E].
Afer.
Native name of the Danakil.
Affadeh.
African: a dialect of the Bornu.
Affar, see [Adali].
Afghan, see [Pushtoo].
Afnu.
African: a dialect of the Haussa.
African.
A name for all native dialects of Africa, not directly Semitic. Works by Borth, Kölle, Bleek, Beke, Sir G. Grey, Clarke’s “Dialects of Africa.” See [Introduction].
Afudu.
A native African dialect of the Otam, vernacular on the coast of W. Africa, about 4° N.L.
Agau or Agaw.
A language of Abyssinia, spoken in three dialects; 1. The Hhámara, or Agau of Lasta, the Tcheratz Agows of Bruce; 2. The Agáwi or Aghagha of Agaumider, i.e. Agau-land; 3. The Falasha spoken by the Israelitish people scattered over the northern and western parts of the country. Salt’s “Voyage,” Appdx. i., p. 6. C. T. B.
Agglutinative.
A name applied to certain languages, when “two unaltered roots combine to form words;” and words brought into mutual relation by syntax undergo a change of form, accent, or meaning; the Coptic, for example, is considered as essentially agglutinative. The American agglutinative languages are called polysynthetic or incorporating. These languages have generally little or no literature.
Agolelegmüt.
The Eskimo of N. America and Behring’s Straits, especially the island of Nunivok. The terminal “müt,” which is common from Behring’s Straits to the parts about Mount St. Elias, is derived from the Eskimo. See Chromtschenko’s “Reise-Journal,” 8vo, St. Petersburgh, 1824. R. G. L.
Ahom.
A nearly extinct language formerly spoken in Assam, a province of British India; it is a dialect of Siamese, monosyllabic in form, and appears to have been transported by emigration from the borders of China.
Aht, The.
American: dialect of Van Couver Island; spoken by all the W. coast tribes, from S. of Quatseeno to Port San Juan on De Fucas Straits. See Sproat: “Scenes of Savage Life.” All the tribes speaking it end in “aht.” R. B.
Ahtiago.
A dialect of Malay, vernacular in Ceram, closely allied to Teluti and Alfuros.
⁂ The more correct form would be Atiahu, the name of a village on the S. coast, with a mixed population. The vocabulary quoted by Mr. Wallace does not constitute a distinct dialect. P. J. V.
Aiawong.
A dialect of native Australian, belonging to the W. coast.
Aimara.
A dialect of the Indians of S. America, largely augmented by Spanish. The natives were subject to the Incas of Peru, at the conquest, and now inhabit the high ground near Lake Titicaca or Chucuito. They are closely allied to the Quichua or native Peruvians. See [Aymara].
Aimauk.
A dialect of Moghol, spoken by the Tshehar-Aimauk, N. W. Afghanistan, in the neighbourhood of Herat.
Aino.
The native name for the language of the Curile Islands, meaning “man.” ☞
Airica.
American: a dialect of the Betoi.
Aitutakìan.
A mixed form of the Tahitian and the Rarotongan dialects. An island in the Hervey group, S. Pacific. Example, “mau-tangata” = “men.” W. G.
Aka (1).
A dialect spoken by a hill-tribe to the N. of Assam. It is almost identical with Abor. See Brown’s Table: “Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Bengal,” 1837.
Aka (2).
African: sometimes used for the Yoruba, of which it is a sub-dialect.
Akabi, see [Ukuafi].
Akkadian.
A name sometimes given to the language used on the earliest Babylonian bricks, especially those found at Mugheir (Ur), Warka (Erech), Senkareh, Niffer, and other very ancient Mesopotamian cities. The general character of the language is Turanian; but its vocabulary connects it with the dialects of Southern Arabia and Abyssinia, more especially with the Mahra, Galla, and Wolaitsa. The writing is a rude and very complicated cuneiform. It is supposed that the language was spoken in Babylonia from a very early age (B.C. 2500?) to the date of the Assyrian conquest, about B.C. 1300. By that time it had become the language of an extensive literature, and as such, continued to be studied by the more learned Assyrians down to the close of the Empire, B.C. 624. The later Assyrian tablets are to a great extent translations from it. See Rawlinson’s “Ancient Monarchies,” vol. i., pp. 61-69, 2nd ed. G. R.
Akkim.
African: a sub-dialect of Fanti.
Ako.
An African dialect, somewhat allied to Afudu.
Akra.
African. Language of the Gold-coast, for the parts about Cape Castle. See [Aquapim].
Akripon.
African: a sub-dialect of Fanti.
Akush.
A dialect of Lesgian, spoken in Daghestan (the ancient Albania), a district situated between the Caspian and the Black Sea.
Akwambu, see [Aquapim].
Alabama.
American. Derived from “Alibamon,” the original occupants of the modern State so called.
Alani.
A people originally settled in Eastern Europe and Western Asia, very powerful from about A.D. 75 to A.D. 461. They are now generally considered to have been of the Finnish stock, akin to the Ostiaks, Samoeids, and other races of Northern Asia. G. R.
Alarodii, see Urarda.
Alatyan.
A name used by Prof. Steinthal for the Ural-Altaic or Turanian languages.
Albanian.
The vernacular tongue of modern Albania, a maritime province of European Turkey, which answers to the ancient Epirus; the inhabitants are a mixed race, including Arnauts, who are probably descended from the ancient Illyrians, Greeks, and Turks. The ancient language, called old Illyrian, and closely allied to Greek, has become mingled with Slavonic, written in Greek characters. The native name of the Albanian dialect is Skipetar. Both terms mean “mountaineers.” The modern language is sub-divided into the Ghegh and the Toski. See Hahn: “Albanische Studien,” Jena, 1854.
Alemannic or Allemanian.
The oldest form of Teutonic or High-German with which we are acquainted; it is the language attributed to the Suevi or Swabians, who, emigrating to the S., formed with other tribes a great confederation on the Rs. Maine, Rhine, and Danube.
⁂ See Bosworth’s “Dict. of the Anglo-Saxon Language,” ed. 1838, p. 120. W. W. S.
Aleutian or Aliout-Liseyeff.
The dialect of the Aleutian or Fox Islands, in the N. Pacific, between Asia and America. The inhabitants resemble the Moghols in physical peculiarities, but their language is allied to the Esquimaux. Vocab. Amer. Ethn. Trans., vol. ii., p. 130. ☞
Alfuros.
Dialects of Malay, spoken by uncivilized tribes of the Indian Ocean. Adelung calls them “Harafora auch Alfurier” in the Moluccas. “Mithridates,” i., p. 585. Wallace calls them the true indigines of Gilolo, and the predominant type of Ceram. “Malay Archipelago,” ii., pp. 16, 19, 96. It is the same word as in the Arafura Seas, W. of N. Guinea. ☞
Algierian.
A form of Arabic vernacular in N. Africa.
Algonkin or Algonquin.
A very large class of native N. American dialects, including the Chippewas, Blackfoot, Ogibeway, Ottawa, Mohican, Shawnees, and other principal eastern tribes of red Indians. Vocab. Amer. Ethn. Trans., vol. ii., pp. 78, 106.
Alieh, see [Eyish].
Alikhulip.
A dialect of Fuegian, spoken in Terra del Fuego, S. America. Described in Darwin’s “The Voyage of the Beagle.” See also Tekeenica and Tsoneca.
Alleutiac, see [Milcocayac].
Allophylian.
A name for the American and certain unclassified languages; generally used for all languages which philologists have not yet defined.
Allor.
A dialect of insular Malay, vernacular in the Indian Ocean. This island belongs to the Timor group; its inhabitants are of the dark Papuan type. The language is said to differ but little from that of the neighbouring island of Solor. P. J. V.
Almeida.
A dialect of S. American, belonging to the Tupi or Guarini family, spoken in Brazil, and allied to Carib. See [Omagua].
Alphabet.
The English name for the collection of letters or written characters in our language, and derived from their Greek synonyms—viz., Alpha (A) + Beta (B), as in the line from Juvenal—
“Hoc discunt omnes ante alpha et beta puellæ.”
—Sat. xiv., l. 209.
These letters or characters are the representatives of certain sounds or utterances; and their numbers, forms, names, and equivalents differ very materially in different countries and in different districts. Ballhorn’s “Alphabete or. und occ. Sprachen,” Leipsig, 1853; 2nd ed., London. See [Letters].
Alpine.
A collective name for several local dialects derived from old Italic, but mingled with modern French.
Alsacian.
A sub-dialect of old High-German.
Altaic or Ural-Altaic.
Generic name for the Moghol, Tungus, Turk, Samoyed, and Ugrian languages. See Castrén’s “Altaischer Volker.”
Amakosa.
African. See [Kaffir].
Amat.
A dialect of older Dravidian vernacular in Nepaul.
Amazig.
A name for the Berber of N. Africa. It is called Aquel Amarigor Amazig, i.e. “Noble tongue;” the native dialect of Berbers.
Amazons.
A class of native dialects spoken by tribes along the banks of the R. Amazon, S. America; more especially the Amazonas and Humanos, formerly of the lower Putumayo. Wallace, p. 250.
Amberbaki.
A dialect of Papuan, vernacular in a village so named on the N. W. coast of N. Guinea.
Amblau.
An island of the Amboyna group; the language, belonging to the Alfuru, or semi-Alfuru, dialects of the Moluccas, seems to differ very considerably from that of the neighbouring islands; judging from the vocabulary given in Mr. Wallace’s “Malay Archipelago.” P. J. V.
Amboyna.
A dialect of the Molucca Islands, in the Indian Ocean; known as Amboynese Malay. The provincial dialect is termed Bahasa-tanah, the language of the Moluccan Alfuru. See Vocabularies by Wallace and Lüdeking. P. J. V.
American.
A name for all dialects of the aborigines throughout N. and S. America. Trübner’s “Bibliotheca Glottica,” London, 1858. See [Introduction].
Amharic.
The Court tongue of Abyssinia for many centuries. Amhara proper is that district lying between the Dender and Tacazze branches of the Nile. It closely resembles the Ethiopic, with alphabets that are nearly identical. The root word is probably identical with “Ham” or “Chem,” the poetical name for Egypt in the Psalms of David.
⁂ A Semitic dialect sprung from the ancient Ethiopic, which has gradually become the dominant language of Abyssinia. Its vocabulary and grammar still closely resemble the Ethiopic, but it has adopted a barbarous pronunciation, and the gutturals, which form so important a part of the Semitic alphabet, are no longer pronounced. The best memoir upon it is that by Gesenius in the Encyclopædia of Ersch and Grüber, under the heading “Amharische Sprache.” Other Abyssinian dialects are the Adari, the Afar, the Somauli, the Saho, the languages of Tigré, Danakil, Adaiel, and of Harar. R. P. S.
Amour or Amur.
Dialects of Tungus, vernacular in E. Asia on the R. Amúr. See Latham, pp. 75, 76.
Amyrgii.
An ancient Scythic people, called “Humawarga,” by the Achæmenian Persians, and “Amyrgians” (Ἀμύργιοι) by the Greeks. They seem to have inhabited the high plateau between the Thian-Chan and the Hindu-Kush ranges. Most probably they were Turanians. G. R.
Anadeer or Anadyr.
The upper and central parts of the R. Anadyr, on the north-eastern extremity of Asia, are occupied by the Tshuktshi, an Asiatic tribe. On the lower Anadyr, however, there is an Eskimo settlement. See [Namollo]. R. G. L.
Anamite or Annamite.
A monosyllabic tongue, closely allied to Chinese. It is the dialect of Tonquin and Cochin-China, extensive tracts of land in S.E. Asia. Also called Annamese. See Dictionaries, A-Latin and Latin-A, by Taberd and Pigneaux, 2 vols., 1838; Marshman, Serampore; and Brown’s “Comparative Table,” vol. vii., Trans. As. Soc. of Bengal.
Andaman.
The dialect of the Mincopie or inhabitants of the Andaman Islands. It is considered to be allied to the Burmese.
Andaqui.
American. Dialect of New Grenada, vernacular on the eastern slope of the Andes, and upper part of the R. Putumayo. See “Los Indios del Andaqui,” pp. 27-29. R. G. L.
Andarcos, see [Texan].
Andi.
A dialect of Lesghian, allied to Akush; vernacular in the Caucasus.
Andian or Ando-Peruvian.
A collective name for certain native dialects of S. America, as Aimara, Araucanian, Quichua, &c.
Andoa.
American. Spoken on the frontiers of New Grenada, and on the head waters of the Rs. Tigre and Pastazza. It is bounded by the Shimigas and Zaparu. Small vocabulary by Spruce. R. G. L.
Andreanowski Islands, see [Aleutian].
Aneiteum or Annatom.
A Polynesian dialect, allied to Papuan, vernacular in Aneiteum, the easternmost island of the New Hebrides group, S. Pacific Ocean. The language began to be reduced to written form, by the use of Roman letters, by the London Missionary Society; subsequently completed in books, now used by natives, by the “U. P. R. C.” Mission of Scotland. W. G. ☞
Anfue.
A native dialect, allied to Adampi, from the Gold-coast, W. Africa.
Angami.
A dialect of Assamese, vernacular in central and lower Assam.
Anglian.
A name sometimes given to that dialect of the oldest English which was spoken in the north and east of England. It has been sub-divided into the Northumbrian and East-Anglian. It has also been called Dano-Saxon. See Bosworth’s “Dict. of the Anglo-Saxon Language,” ed. 1838, p. 21. W. W. S.
Anglian, East, under [E].
Anglo-Saxon.
A compound language formed by the union of several tribes of Teutonic origin, who conquered and settled in Britain, about A.D. 449, thence called England. The language is of cognate origin with the Alemannic and Gothic; but with accretions from the Scandinavian and Low-Dutch.
⁂ What is called Anglo-Saxon is really the oldest form of English. The Anglo-Saxon of the first period extends from A.D. 450 to A.D. 1100; that of the later period from A.D. 1100 to about A.D. 1250; after which date we arrive at early Middle English. The specimens of the literature are too numerous to require mention. See the dictionaries by Lye and Manning, Bosworth, Grein, Ettmüller, and the list of MSS. in Hickes’s “Thesaurus,” vol. iii. W. W. S.
Angoane.
A dialect of Mozambique, vernacular on the E. coast of Africa.
Angola.
A dialect of Bantu, vernacular in S.E. Africa; classed by Bleek as Bunda.
Angus.
A dialect of the Lowlands of Scotland, frequently cited in Jamieson’s Scottish Dictionary. W. W. S.
Ankaras.
An African dialect, almost identical with Wun.
Annamese, see [Anamite].
Annatom, see [Aneiteum].
Ansoes.
A Papuan dialect, spoken at Port Dorey, New Guinea.
Antes or Antis.
A native dialect of S. American, vernacular in Peru on the eastern slope of the Andes. The nearest affinities are to the Moxos. See D’Orbigny’s “L’homme Américain.”
Antonio, San.
Dialect of a mission, so called, current in California, N. America.
Antshukh.
A dialect of Lesghian, allied to Andi.
Anu.
Dialect of a tribe so named, in N. Arracan, in which are many words intelligible to the people of Munipoor. A. C.
Apache or Apatsh.
A dialect of Athabascan, vernacular in New Mexico.
Apaing.
The same language as Arorae. W. G.
Apatsh, see [Apache].
Apiaca.
A dialect of Brazil, allied to Guarani, vernacular on the R. Arias, a tributary of the Upper Tapuyos. See Castelnau’s “Expedition,” &c., appdx.
Apinages.
American: a dialect of the Gez class, vernacular in Brazil. See Castelnau’s “Expedition,” &c., appdx.; Von Martius, vol. ii., p. 147.
Apkhaz.
The Georgian name for the tribes between Jenikale and Soukum-Kale, as distinguished from Circassians proper.
Apolonia.
African: a sub-dialect of Fanti, vernacular at Point Apollonia, on the frontier of the Gold and Ivory coasts. R. G. L.
Aponegicrans.
American: a dialect of the Gez class, vernacular in Brazil. See Von Martius, vol. ii., p. 147.
Appa.
A dialect of S. Africa, allied to Nufi.
Aquapim.
African: collective name for certain dialects of the Gold-coast near Cape Castle; 1. The Akra. 2. The Krepee. 3. The Otshi. 4. The Adampi. See Rühs: “Elemente des Akwapim.”
Aquitanian.
The dialect of Aquitania or Aquitaine, a division of ancient Gaul, lying S.W., which included the provinces of Guyenne, Gascony, &c.
Ara.
A name for the Arini.
Arabic.
One of the three main branches of the Semitic family, spoken in the peninsula of Arabia. Unknown till the century before Mahomet, it suddenly then reached its highest perfection in the poems of the Moallakât. It is the richest, the most flexible, and most exact of all the Semitic tongues, and its grammar the most subtle and perfect, probably, of all known languages. The dialect of the tribe of Koreisch, adopted by Mahomet in the Koran, has been, since the seventh century, the classical language of large parts of Asia and Africa, and has greatly influenced the Turkish, Maltese, Persian, Hindi, and other tongues, owing to the wide range of Arabian conquest. Classical Arabic must be distinguished from Arabic as actually spoken. The “vulgar” Arabic makes scarcely any distinction of vowel-sounds, has a grammar simple to rudeness, and is destitute of the richness and versatility of the tongue as employed by its most famous scholars. R. P. S.
Arago.
A dialect of Papuan, vernacular in New Guinea.
Araiacu.
American: a dialect of N. Brazil, to the W. of Fonteboa; it is allied to the Barré, Baniwa, Manoa, &c. See Von Martius, vol. ii., p. 133, who places it in his Cren or Guereno class. R. G. L.
Arakanese or Arracanese.
A monosyllabic tongue closely allied to the Burmese, otherwise called the Reccan or Rukheng. The district in which it is spoken forms a narrow strip of sea-coast, about 500 miles long, extending from Cape Negrais in the S. towards Chittagong in the N., along the E. peninsula of S. Asia.
Aramaic.
Generic name of the languages spoken in the region extending from the Taurus and Lebanon to the R. Tigris. It is one of the main branches of the Semitic stem, and is itself divided into two dialects, East Aramaic, or Chaldean, and West Aramaic, or Syriac. The former became the medium of Jewish thought, and is the language of the Targums and the Talmud, and also of the Samaritan Pentateuch. The latter is Christian. A sub-dialect spoken by the heathen is called Sabaean, or Nabathean. The oldest remains of the Aramaic are found in the name given by Laban to the Hill of Witness between him and Jacob. R. P. S.
The Aramaic alphabet was identical with, or derived from, the Phœnician.
Arapaho or Arrapaho.
The dialect of a native tribe of N. American Indians of the Algonkin family, vernacular on the R. Platte; originally on the Upper Saskatshewan. Schoolcraft’s “Indian Tribes,” vol. iii., p. 446; Vocab. Amer. Ethn. Trans., vol. ii., p. 96.
Araquaju.
American: a dialect of the Brazilian class, vernacular on the Upper Amazons. See Von Martius, vol. ii., p. 17.
Araucanian.
Dialect spoken by the powerful independent Indian tribe inhabiting the western slope of the Andes, south of Chili proper. D. F.
Arawack.
A dialect of Carib, spoken on the N. coast of S. America, in Surinam, Venezuela, and the Guianas (Berbice); supposed to have been introduced by aboriginal settlers from Hayti and other W. Indian islands.
Arayas, see [Taino].
Archaic Greek.
A name for the original Cadmean alphabet of ancient Greece, it consisted of seventeen letters only, and was derived from the Phœnician.
Arda.
Spoken, according to Alcedo, on the Upper Napo, on the boundaries of New Grenada, Brazil, and Ecuador. A “Doctrina Christiana,” Madrid, 1658, and a “Paternoster” are the only recorded specimens of the Arda. No philologist seems to have examined them. The fragmentary languages with which they are the most likely to have been allied are the Andoa, the Shimigaes, and the Zapara. “Ludwig,” p. 12. R. G. L.
Ardrah.
African: a dialect of the Slave-coast.
Argot.
French patois, applied to cant and slang dialects. See Jülg’s “Vater,” pp. 132, 485.
Argubba.
African: a dialect of Abyssinia.
Arecuna.
A dialect of the Carib of Demerara, allied to Macusi. See Schomburgk’s “British Guiana.”
Arfak.
A Papuan dialect vernacular among the mountaineers inland of Doreh, New Guinea. P. J. V.
Arini or Arinzi.
A dialect of Yeniseian, spoken in Siberia. See Castrén’s “Versuch einer Ienissei Ostiakinen Sprachlehre.” H. H. H.
Aripe.
American: dialect of Lower California.
Aris.
A dialect of Toumbulu.
Arkiko.
A dialect of Ethiopic allied to Adaiel; otherwise classed as a sub-dialect of Amharic.
Armenian.
The vernacular speech of Armenia, a mountainous country of Asiatic Turkey, bordering on the S.E. extremity of the Black Sea, including Mt. Ararat. Armenian is written from left to right, and has an alphabet peculiar to itself, which has been modernized from an older original, attributed to Miesrob, A.D. 406.
⁂ The language is essentially an Aryan dialect, akin to Achæmenian Persian and Zend, but still distinct from either: into which have been absorbed a large number of Turanian roots. G. R.
Armenic.
A branch of the great Indo-European family of speech not yet clearly defined. It is the parent of modern Armenian, and of an older form of the same language, called Old Armenic, now extinct. It has, provisionally, been classed with Kurdish, Ossetic and Pushtoo. See [Aryan].
Armeno-Kurdish.
A name for the Kurdish dialect, written in the characters of the Armenian alphabet.
Armorican.
A Celtic dialect, called also Breton, anciently vernacular in Armorican Gaul; it was the national language of the independent Duchy of Brittany, and is still spoken in the modern French departments of Finisterre, Morbihan, and Côtes-du-Nord; the language is closely allied to Welsh, Cornish, Manx, Gaelic, &c.
Arnaut, see [Albanian].
Arniya.
A dialect of Dardu, allied to Kashkari.
Aro or Oro.
A dialect of W. Africa, allied to Mbofia, vernacular in the locality of Brass Town.
Aroo or Arru.
Dialects of Papuan, vernacular in a group of islands lying to the S.W. of New Guinea, in the Asiatic Archipelago.
⁂ Herr Van Rosenberg distinguishes two chief dialects. 1. A vocabulary collected at Wammer, Watelei, and Traugan. 2. His “Wanumbae Vocaby.” Others are the Wokam Uju dialects, given by Herr Von Eybergen. Mr. Wallace writes Wamma, Wokan and Ougia. P. J. V.
Aropin.
A Papuan dialect, vernacular in S. Pacific. See Latham, p. 332.
Arorae.
An island of Kingsmill group, S. Pacific. The language is a mixed dialect of Samoa and Sandwich groups. First reduced by missionaries from Hawaii, 1858; now occupied by Samoan Christian teachers. W. G.
Arrow-Head.
A term employed to designate writing of a particular kind. The ancient inhabitants of Babylonia, Assyria, Armenia, Persia, and other adjacent regions used characters of which the ultimate element was the wedge: ► The resemblance of this form to the metallic point with which arrows were anciently tipped caused our early Oriental travellers to call all characters thus composed “arrow-headed.” Recently, the term “cuneiform,” adopted from the French, has displaced “arrow-headed,” which is now seldom used. It is important to remember that the two terms, whichever of them we employ, in no case properly designate a language, or an alphabet, but simply a manner of forming the conventional signs of speech. There are at least five quite distinct “arrow-headed” alphabets; and in one case the same cuneiform alphabet is used to give written expression to two quite different languages. G. R.
Aryan.
A name for the Indo-European family of languages, derived from Ariana, a province of the ancient Persian empire. The word is widely diffused throughout Eastern Asia: ex. gr., the small river Arius, now Heri-Rúd, on which stands the city of Herat; also the river Arus, or Araxes, near Mt. Ararat, in Armenia; Iran, Irac, or Iron. The term “Aryan,” in Sanskrit, implies “noble,” but the root is very widely diffused in an agricultural sense; as in the Greek ἀρόω; Latin, “aro” “to plough;” English, “arable.”
The Aryan family of languages is divided into the following branches:—Armenic, Celtic or Keltic, Hellenic, Illyric, Indic, Iranic, Italic, Teutonic, and Wendic (or Slavonic-Lettic). Each of these groups or branches will be treated under its proper stem, with sub-branches. See [Introduction]. ☞
Ashantee or Ashanti.
Sometimes called Odjii or Otshi, the national language of the Guinea coast, W. Africa; it belongs to the Mandingo branch, and is closely allied to the Fantee, spoken on the Gold-coast.
Asian or Asiatic.
Klaproth’s “Asia Polyglotta,” Paris, 1823, 1832. See [Introduction].
Asilulu, see [Amboyna].
Assamese.
The modern language of Assam, an extensive province of British India adjoining Bengal; it extends along the course of the R. Brahmapootra, towards Thibet. The archaic dialect known as Ahom, being extinct, has been superseded by a dialect of Bengali; Assamese is, however, unintelligible to the natives of Bengal. It is written in the Bengali character. See Brown’s “Comparative Table of Dialects: Asiatic Society of Bengal.”
Assan.
A dialect of Ostiak, or Yeniseian, vernacular in Siberia. See Castrén’s “Versuch.”
Assineboine.
A N. American dialect, spoken by native tribes of the Saskatchewan River line, between the Red River and Rocky Mountains.
Assinese.
African: a sub-dialect of the Fanti.
Assyrian.
The language of the ancient Assyrians, or people of Assyria, a tract lying upon the R. Tigris, between the thirty-fourth and thirty-seventh parallels. This language has become known to us within the last twenty years, through inscriptions disinterred from the buried cities of this region. The form of speech is found to be Semitic, akin to Arabic, Syriac, Chaldee, Phœnician, and especially to Hebrew. It is written, however, unlike most Semitic tongues, from left to right. The characters are very numerous and complicated; they are of the class called “cuneiform” or “arrow-headed,” being formed out of combinations of wedges. The best account of the Assyrian alphabet will be found in the “Expédition Scientifique en Mésapotamie” of M. Oppert. The language must be studied in the “Assyrian Dictionary” of Mr. Norris, and the “Elémens de la Grammaire Assyrienne” of M. Oppert. G. R.
Astek, see [Aztec].
Aswarek, see [Serawulli].
Atacama.
American: belongs to a desert land between Chili and Peru.
Atafu.
“Duke of York’s Island.” In Tokelau group; when found it had a mixture of Eastern Polynesian dialects; but now, by use of Samoan books, generally speak that language. W. G.
Athabascan or Athapascan.
A collective name for certain native dialects of N. America, lying to the S. of the Esquimaux. Vocaby. American Ethn. Trans., vol. ii. pp. 78-105. Buschmann: “Der Athapaskische Sprachstamm,” Berlin, 1856-63. ☞
Atiago, see [Ahtiago].
Atinan.
Largely Tahitian, with some local peculiarities, but by the use of books in the Rarotongan dialect, is fast becoming Rarotongan; example, “fenua-maitai” = “good land.” W. G.
Atlas (Mount.)
The Mount Atlas languages, more or less known, are: 1. The Kabail or Showiah; more definitely the Zoave. 2. The Shilha or Morocco Berber. 3. The Touarik or Tamazight of the Great Desert. 4. The Ghadamsi or the Wadreagh. F. W. N.
Atna.
A name for Selish. It is derived from the native word for “man”—“tinni” or “tnai.” Vocaby. Trans. Amer. Ethnol. Society, vol. ii., p. 118. ☞
Atorai.
A dialect of Carib, vernacular in Demerara.
Atshin.
A dialect of Malay, vernacular in Sumatra. See [Achinese].
Attakapa.
A nearly monosyllabic dialect, vernacular among the native Americans of St. Bernard’s Bay, Texas. See Archæol. Americana, ii., p. 307. ☞
Attic Greek.
A dialect of ancient Greek, originally peculiar to Attica, but which became the parent of the so-called “common dialect,” or ordinary language of Greek literature. The Attic had much in common with the Ionic, but affected contractions and retained aspirates where the Ionic discarded them. G. R.
Attigae.
A tribe of the Chech in Caucasia. H. C.
Atures.
According to Humboldt, the Atures were the original occupants of the cataract on the R. Orinoco, which bears their name; their language, on the authority of Gilij, is a form of the Salivi. ☞
Atye, see [Whidah].
Augsburg.
Germanic: dialect of High-German spoken in Bavaria. See “Jnl. Für Deutschland,” 1783.
Auramoiset.
A dialect of Karelian, vernacular in the Government of St. Petersburgh. See “Memoirs of the St. Petersburgh Academy.”
Austral.
A group of numerous islands east of Tahiti, and so far Tahitian as to use books in the Tahitian language, though having some local peculiarities by the introduction of letters not in Tahitian; example, “param-akoako” = “exhortation.” W. G.
Australian.
The natives, now fast disappearing, had numerous dialects, all more or less closely allied; resemblances have been traced to the Tamul and other languages of S. India; the Polynesian, and Papuan. See Grey’s “Vocabulary” (of S. Western A.) 2nd Edit., London, 1841; and others by Ridley; Sidney, 1856, 1866: Eyre’s “Discoveries,” vol. ii., p. 391.
Auvergne.
Dialect of Provençal; glossaries in “Mem.: Soc. Ant.” French vols. ii., xii.
Avan or Avani.
American: a sub-dialect of Maipur.
Avar (1).
An extinct dialect, belonging to the fifth and sixth centuries A.D. It was Turkish.
Avar (2).
The most important dialect of Lesgian. See Vocabulary in Güldenstadt’s “Travels,” and “Asia Polyglotta.”
Avaricoto.
American: Carib of Cumana, belonging to the Tamanack division.
Avekvom.
A dialect of the Ivory-coast, W. Africa.
Awaiya.
A dialect of Malay, vernacular in Ceram, an island of the Indian Ocean; quoted in Wallace’s “Malay Archipelago.” See [Ahtiago] and [Hawaiian].
Aymara.
The language of the Indians of the highlands around Lake Titicaca in Peru and Bolivia; by many regarded as the so-called secret language of the Incas, as, according to their traditions, Manco Capac, the founder of the Inca dynasty, came from that district; and although ruder and more primitive, it is closely allied to the Quechua, which, after the Inca conquest, became the general language of Peru. The oldest published works extant on Aymara are by Alcabiça, 1585; Ricardo, 1585; Bertonio, 1603-12. D. F. ☞
Aztec.
The language of the aborigines of Mexico; extinct in its original form, it has been fused with Spanish, and is now the native language of Mexican Indians.
ADDENDA.
Aberdeen.
A local dialect of Scotland.
Abkhass, see [Absne].
Abunda.
African: same as Bunda. See Vocaby. in Douville’s “Voyage,” Paris, 1832.
Achaian.
A name for the ancient Greeks. ☞
Adamawa, see [Hamarua].
Adang.
A Dayak dialect of N. Borneo. P. J. V. See [Murut].
Adima.
Name for the servile class of Malabar; they have a dialect peculiar to themselves. W. E.
Adiyar.
A sub-dialect of Dravidian origin, spoken by aborigines of Malabar. W. E.
Akhwash.
Caucasian: like Andi, but with peculiar numerals. H. C.
Americanisms.
Name for Transatlantic idioms of English. See Webster’s Dicty., various editions: Bartlett’s Glossary, London, 1859.
Amoy.
An important dialect of Chinese; see “Manual,” by Macgowan; Hong Khong, 1869.
Andalusian.
Romance: a sub-dialect of Spanish.
Andhra.
An ancient kingdom and powerful dynasty in the Dekhan, now merely traditional: compare the Greek word ἀνδρος.
Anspach.
Teutonic: dialect of High-German. See “Jnl. Für Deutschland,” 1789.
Antilles.
American of the W. Indies. See “Histoire des Iles Antilles,” &c. Rotterdam, 1681.
Appenzell.
Teutonic: dialect of High-German. See Tobler: “A: Sprachschatz,” Zürich, 1837.
Arayans, Araans.
Important hill tribe of Travancore, called Malai-arasar, “Hill kings;” they speak a dialect of Tamul or Malayalim. W. E.
Arragonese.
A provincial dialect of Spanish.