Respecting the languages spoken in the interior of British Columbia, the Rev. Mr Good, who has spent fifteen years among the inland nations, and who is fully conversant with their languages, gives me the following information: From Yale to Lillooet, on the Fraser River, thence from Bonaparte to Nicola River, the Neetlakapamuch, or Thompson River, language is spoken. From Douglas, along the Harrison River and lake, to its confluence with the Fraser, as far as Chilicothe, and again from Lillooet northward to Clinton, the Stlatelemuck, or Lillooet, language prevails. Next, from Bonaparte River northward to William Lake, to Shushwap Lake, around Lake Kamloops, and for some distance on the Thompson River, the Suwapamuck, or Shushwap, tongue prevails; and finally, from Nicola Lake to Kamloops, and southward as far as Columbia River, the Chitwout, or Similkameen, language is used. Mr Good further asserts that, although there are four distinct languages, they are nevertheless in some degree affiliated. From the same gentleman, I also obtained the following grammatical notes and specimens of the Neetlakapamuch tongue. Personal pronouns are—I, ens; thou, awee; he, cheneelt; we, nemeemult; you, aweepeeaps; they, chinkoast.
CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO GIVE.
Mamans inserted in a word, signifies a desire to do a thing; thus, winaskin means to go; and winasmamankin, I am wishing to go. The syllable weltin, affixed to a word, expresses that a thing has been done effectively;—tlokhtinnaweltin, I have fastened it well, or thoroughly. Tata is a negative preposition.
THE LORD'S PRAYER.
Takamote ( ) nemeemult (Our) skatzazact (Father) whohakn (who art) nil (in) kakhtomew. (heaven.) Axseeas (Good) chutam (to be done) clas (the) squest (name) awee. (thine.) Eyah (Good) huntohs (make haste) stakums (all) asait cunamah (men) axclahaks (come) swonakum (truly) eah (good) tuksmite ( children of) Jesu (Jesus) Cree (Christ) huntoseamal. (make haste.) Awee (Thy) kaseah (will) eah ah ( good) chuwo (done) naanatomew, (on earth,) clah (as) seeatahah L'angels (the angels) archkhwamo (do) incheah (there) nilkahtomew. (heaven.) Takamose (All) nuk (and) stakum a (every) tseetlekut (day) nahkteea (give) nemeemult (us) stakums (all) as (our) skhlayans. (food.) Altla (And) quonquonstyea (forgive) nemeenult (us) takamote (all) nemeemult (our) outkest, (evil,) tseeah (as) nemeemult (we) quonquonstama (forgive) takamote (all) tooal (of) saitcunama (men) aks (who) weetsikteese (accomplish) tekest (any evil) whoa (to) nemeemult. (us.) Atahmose (Never) tah (let) hoshaman (the evil one) as masteel (lead) nemeemult (us) axkhokestumtum (to wish) a (to) quonteese (lay hold of) akest. (any evil.) Kamult (But) akklokpistyip (deliver) nemeemult (us) takamote (all) too (that) a (is) kest (evil) wilkakow. (far from us.) Shutenmeenwawee (Thine) takamose (all) atomew. (the world.) Shutenmeenwawee (Thine) takamose (all) azozoht. (strength.) Shutenmeenwawee (Thine) takamose (all) asyameet. (worship.) Taeah (Good) asklakameemus (evermore) astinansouse, (to come,) asklakameemus (evermore) astinansouse. (to come.) Axseahs. (Amen.)
PUGET SOUND DIALECTS.
Proceeding southward to Puget Sound, we have the Shimiahmoo, Nooksak, Lummi, Samish, Snohomish, and others; and around Cape Flattery, the Classet. The Makah, Classet, or Klaizzaht, I have spoken of already, in connection with the language of Vancouver Island, and it also appears that the Clallam, S'klalum, or as they call themselves, Nusklaiyum, is also connected with the Vancouver Island language.[III'-25] It is probably the same which Dr Scouler has called the Noosdalum. The Lummi, or Nukhlumi, and the Shimiahmoo have also some affinity with the Sanetch dialect of Vancouver Island, and the languages of the Skagits and Samish approach that of the Nisquallies. Yet while the Clallam and Lummi show certain affinities to the Nootka dialect, they nevertheless clearly belong to the Salish, or Flathead family.[III'-26]
SALISH DIALECTS.