This phenomenon consists of the changing, or shunting, of certain vowels or consonants in the words of one language, into certain other vowels and consonants in the same words of another language; and this not accidentally, but in accordance with fixed rules. Sound-shunting, originally discovered by Mr Grimm in the Aryan tongues, has also been found by Mr Buschmann in the languages of his Sonora family, where it is more particularly prominent in the word-endings. In a subsequent place I shall have occasion to refer again to this point, and particularly when speaking of the North Mexican languages, the Tarahumara, Tepehuana, Cora, and Cahita, where it can be clearly shown by comparison with the Aztec, that such shunting, or changing, has taken place. In the languages at present under consideration, the Shoshone, Utah, and Comanche, we have this shunting system illustrated in the substantives and adjective endings p, pa, pe, pi, be, wa, ph, pee, rp, and rpe; and more particularly in the Utah and Shoshone ts, tse, tsi, all of which may be referred to the Aztec endings tl, tli, and others. In the last-mentioned case the endings have been preserved in a purer form, while in the former the shunting or changing law is observed. As illustrating the connection between the languages under consideration and those before mentioned of Sonora and through them with the Aztec, I append on the next page a short vocabulary in which the similarities can be easily observed.[V'-7]
THE MOQUI LANGUAGE.
The Moqui, as before observed, does not properly belong to the Shoshone family, but shows a connection with the Aztec. It is strange that two permanently located peoples, the Moquis and the Pueblos, both living in well-built towns not far apart, and both showing signs of a budding civilization, should speak languages totally different from each other; that one of these languages should show a connection with the Aztec and the other not; that neither is related to the tongue of the Shoshones, who nearly surround them; and, furthermore, that in six of the seven Moqui towns only, the Moqui language is spoken, while in the seventh, Harno, the Tegua, a language of one of the New Mexican Pueblos is spoken. The people of Harno can converse with the Moquis of the six other towns, but among themselves they never make use of the Moqui, always speaking the Tegua.[V'-8]
| SHOSHONE. | WIHINASHT. | UTAH. | COMANCHE. | MOQUI. | |
| Foot | namps | kuki | namp | nahap | herkuck |
| Eye | pui, umboi | pui | puttyshoe | puile | pose |
| Water | pa | pa | pah | pa | |
| Arm | puiró | putá | pooir | pur(e) | mahat |
| Dog | schari | sahreets | zari | poku | |
| Tongue | aku | ego | ahoh | ehk | linga |
| Wife | wepee | ||||
| Winter | tumu | tomó | tohane | ||
| Egg | nupáhw or nanki | anohó | uno io | ||
| Ear | nongkawa or masoaki | inaka | nink | nahkarke | nookawuck |
| Hand | mashitu | imai | masseer | mashpa | mocktay |
| Teeth | tangwa | tama | tong | tahnee | tahmah |
| One | chermti or shímutsi | singwáiu | semmus | ||
| Ten | paimanusch | síngwaloyu | matoëcut | ||
| Lip | timpa | tupa | timp | tupe | |
| Sun | taba | tava | tap | tabih | tahwah |
| House | uinkán | noöí | kanuke | ||
| Stone | timpi | tipí | terp | ||
| Moon | mungá | muschhá | mahtots | mushe | mooyah |
| Head | pampi | pompi | tuts | páaph | quatah |
| Nose | mui | moöi | mahvetah | moopee | yakuck |
| God | tockill | ||||
| AZTEC. | TARAHUMARA. | TEPEHUANA. | CAHITA. | CORA. | |
| Foot | |||||
| Eye | yxtelolotli | pusiki | buy | pusi | |
| Water | atl | bagui, pauguiki | baa | ||
| Arm | |||||
| Dog | chichi | ||||
| Tongue | nenetl | ||||
| Wife | tenamic | upi | hubi | ||
| Winter | gu tomojo | ||||
| Egg | nitla, tlemina | nono | |||
| Ear | nacaztli | nachcala | naxa | naca | naxaihti |
| Hand | maitl | mama | moamati | ||
| Teeth | tlantli | tamela | tatamo | tami | tameti |
| One | ce, cen, cem | senn | semi | ce | |
| Ten | matlactli | ||||
| Lip | tentli | chumi | tuní | teni | tenniti |
| Sun | taa | ||||
| House | calli | cari | |||
| Stone | tetl | ||||
| Moon | metztli | mecha | massade | mecha | |
| Head | quaitl | ||||
| Nose | yacatl | jachcala | daca | ieca | |
| God | teotl | ||||
No grammar has been written of the Moqui language, and a few vocabularies are all we possess of it. Gov. Lane, speaking of the Pueblo languages collectively, writes: "All these languages are extremely guttural, and, to my ear, seemed so much alike, that I imagine they have sprung from the same parent stock."[V'-9]
MOQUI AFFILIATIONS.
Some claim a relationship between the Moquis and the Apaches and others, but no such connection has ever been established.[V'-10] The only positive statement in this regard is made by Buschmann, who, by actual comparison of vocabularies, has determined its status.[V'-11] Among other connecting links he particularly mentions the substantive endings pe, be, and others, by means of which, he says, the Moqui attaches itself to the Shoshone-Comanche branch of the Sonora idioms. The comparative vocabulary before given will further illustrate their affiliation.[V'-12]
KIZH AND NETELA SPECIMENS.