CHAPTER VI.
THE PUEBLO, COLORADO RIVER, AND LOWER CALIFORNIA LANGUAGES.
Traces of the Aztec not found among the Pueblos of New Mexico and Arizona—The Five Languages of the Pueblos, the Queres, the Tegua, the Picoris, Jemez, and Zuñi—Pueblo Comparative Vocabulary—The Yuma and its Dialects, the Maricopa, Cuchan, Mojave, Diegeño, Yampais, and Yavipais—The Cochimí, Guaicurí, and Pericú, with their Dialects of Lower California—Guaicurí Grammar—Pater Noster in Three Cochimí Dialects—The Languages of Lower California wholly Isolated.
Having already mentioned some of the principal idioms spoken in the southern part of the Great Basin, as parts of the trunks to which they belong, or with which they affiliate, I shall devote the present chapter to such languages of New Mexico and Arizona as cannot be brought into the Tinneh or Sonora stocks, and to those of Lower California. Beginning with the several tongues of the Pueblos, thence proceeding westward to the Colorado River, and following its course southward to the Gulf of California, I shall include the languages of the southern extremity of California, and finally those of the peninsula. These languages are none of them cognate with any spoken in Mexico. Respecting those of the Pueblos which have long been popularly regarded as allied to southern tongues, it is now very certain that they are in no wise related to them, if we except the Aztec word-material found in the Moqui. From analogous manners and customs, from ancient traditions and time-honored beliefs, many have claimed that these New Mexican towns-people are the remains of aboriginal Aztec civilization, attempting meanwhile to explain away the adverse testimony of language, by amalgamation of the ancient tongue with those of other nations, or by absorption or annihilation; all of which, so far as arriving at definite conclusions is concerned, amounts to nothing. Analogies may be drawn between any nations of the earth; human beings are not so unlike but that in every community much may be found that is common to other communities, irrespective of distance and race, especially when the comparison is drawn between two peoples both just emerging from savagism. The facts before us concerning the Pueblo languages are these: although all alike are well advanced from primeval savagism, live in similar substantial houses, and have many common customs, yet their languages, though distinct as a whole from those of the more savage surrounding tribes, do not agree with each other. It is difficult to prove that the Aztec, although now perhaps extinguished, never was the tongue of New Mexico; on the other hand, it is impossible to prove that it was, and surely theorists go far out of their way in attempting to establish a people in a land where no trace of their language exists, or exists only in such a phase as proves conclusively that it could not possibly have ever been the basis of the language now spoken.
THE FIVE PUEBLO LANGUAGES.
Five distinct languages, with numerous dialects, more or less deviating, are spoken by the Pueblos. By the inhabitants of Santo Domingo, San Felipe, Santa Ana, Silla, Laguna, Pojuate, Acoma, and Cochiti, the Queres language is spoken; in San Juan, Santa Clara, San Ildefonso, Pojuaque, Nambe, Tezuque, and also in Harno, one of the Moqui towns, the Tegua language prevails; in Taos, Picoris, Zandia, and Isleta, there is the Picoris language; in Jemez and Old Pecos, the Jemez; in Zuñi, the Zuñi language.[VI'-1] The three principal dialects of Queres are the Kiwomi, Cochitemi, and Acoma. Of these the first two are very similar, in some cases almost identical, while the Acoma is more distinct.[VI'-2] In the Queres the accent is almost invariably on the first syllable, and the words are in general rather short, although a few long words occur. Possessive pronouns appear to be affixed; they are ini, ni, ne, in, and i.
In the Tegua and Zuñi the personal pronouns are:
| TEGUA. | ZUÑI. | |
| I | nah | hóo |
| Thou | uh | tóo |
| He | ihih | lóoko |
| She | ihih | |
| We (incl.) | tahquireh | hóono |
| We (exc.) | nihyeuboh | |
| You | nahih | ahchée |
| They | ihnah | lóoko |
PUEBLO COMPARATIVE VOCABULARY.
In the Tegua, although many monosyllabics appear, there are also a number of long words, such as pehgnahvicahmborih, shrub; haihiombotahrei, for ever; hahnguenaahnpih, to be; haihahgnuhai, great; heinginubainboyoh, nothing. In the Zuñi, long words appear to predominate—ákmeeashneekeeah, autumn; áhseeailahpalhtonnai, finger; lahtailoopeetsínnah, gold; téhleenahweeteekeeah, midnight; táhmchahpahnáhmnee, war-club, and others.[VI'-3] As will more clearly appear by the following comparative vocabulary, none of these languages are cognate; they have no affinity among themselves, nor with any other family or group. [VI'-4]
| QUERES. | TEGUA. | PICORIS. | JEMEZ. | ZUÑI. | |
| Sun | pah | hoolennah | pay | yattockkah | |
| Moon | poyye | pannah | pahah | ||
| Star | shecat | adoyeah | hahheglannah | woonhah | moyatchuway |
| Earth | hahats | nah | pahhannah | dockah | oulocknannay |
| Man | hatssee | sayen | tahhahnenah | shuotish | oatse |
| Woman | naiatsay | ker | clayannah | steosh | ocare |
| Head | nashcanne | pumbah | pinemah | chitchous | oshuckquinnay |
| Eye | kannah | chay | chenay | saech | toonahway |
| Nose | karwishshe | shay | pooaenah | forsaech | nolinnay |
| Mouth | tseeikah | sho | clahmoenah | eaequah | aewahtinnay |
| Ear | kahupah | oyeo | taglayonay | washchish | lahschucktinnay |
| Hand | kahmoshtay | mah | mahtish | shoncheway | |
| Dog | tish | cher | sodornah | cannu | watsetah |
| Fire | hahkanye | fah | pahannah | fwaah | mackke |
| Water | tseats | ogh | pohahoon | pah | keaoway |