| PRESENT INDICATIVE. | |||
| SINGULAR. | |||
| I love, | kitututochi | ||
| Thou lovest, | kitutochi, or kikitutochi | ||
| He loves, | kitutochi | ||
| DUAL. | |||
| We two love, | kikuentutochi | ||
| You two love, | kichentutochi | ||
| They two love, | kikuentutochi | ||
| PLURAL. | |||
| We love, | kikuchentutochi | ||
| You love, | kichehentutochi | ||
| They love, | kirontutochi | ||
| IMPERFECT. | PERFECT. | ||
| I loved, | kimitututochi | I have loved, | kitabutochi |
| FUTURE. | |||
| I shall love, | kirutochi, or takimitututochi | ||
| IMPERATIVE. | |||
| Let me love, | kutochi | ||
| PASSIVE. | |||
| I am loved, | kitochikikaki | We are loved, | kitochikakehebi |
| We two are loved, | kitochihuehuikakuebi | ||
| REFLEXIVE. | |||
| I love myself, | kitutecochi | ||
| He who loves, | inmututochi | He who will love, | inkakatutochi |
LORD'S PRAYER.
Kabotuntanki ( Father our ) kizhechori ( thou art above ) ypiytiy ( in heaven ) tharehetemeyuhbutohui ( sanctified be ) inituyuh ( thy name ) tapue ( come ) nitubeye ( thy kingdom ) tharetehehui ( do ) inunihami ( above the earth ) inkituhenahui ( thy will ) ipuzka ( as ) hetehehui ( it is done ) ypiytiy. ( in heaven. ) Achii ( To-day ) ripahkehbi ( give us ) inbotumehui ( our bread ) indahmutze ( every day ) dihemindikebi ( forgive us ) inbotubuchochi ( our fault ) pukuehentukahmindi ( as we forgive ) indorihuebikeh ( our debtors ) nuximenkarihechi ( let us not fall ) kehbi ( us ) muhe ( and ) dishedanita ( deliver ) kehbi ( us ) pinita ( from ) inbuti.[X'-9] ( evil. )
A language spoken in Toluca, the Ocuiltec, is mentioned by Sahagun and Grijalua, about which, excepting the name only, no information can be obtained.[X'-10]
DIALECTS OF THE MIZTEC LANGUAGE.
Principally in the state of Oajaca, but also in parts of the present states of Puebla and Guerrero, the Miztec language is spoken even to this day. Of this language there are many dialects, of which the following are mentioned as chief;—the Tepuzculano, the Yangüistlan, the Miztec bajo, the Miztec alto, the Cuixlahuac, the Tlaxiaco, the Cuilapa, the Mictlantongo, the Tamazulapa, the Xaltepec, and the Nochiztlan. As related to the Miztec, the Chocho, or Chuchon, also an Oajaca idiom, is mentioned.[X'-11] As the Miztecs are generally classed among the autochthones of Mexico, their language is considered as of great antiquity, being spoken of in connection with that of the Ulmecs and Xicalancas.[X'-12] Almost all of the old missionaries complained of the difficulty of acquiring this tongue and its many dialects, which necessitated often a threefold or fourfold study.[X'-13]
The Miztec may be written by means of the following letters:—a, ch, d, e, h, i, j, k, m, n, ñ, o, s, t, u, v, x or ks, gs, y, z, dz, nd, tn, kh. The pronunciation is very clear; the h is aspirated; v is as in English; kh, nd, and tn, are nasal. Long words are of frequent occurrence. I give two of seventeen syllables each;—yodoyokavuandisasikandiyosanninahasahan, to walk stumbling; and yokuvuihuatinindiyotuvuihuatusindisahata, to conciliate the good graces of a person. Words are compounded or agglutinated in five different ways;—First, without changing either of the component words, as;—yutnù, tree; and kuihi, fruit; yutnukuihi, fruit-tree. Second, one of the component words changes, as;—huaha, good, and ñaha, no; ñahuaha, bad. Third, words which are first divided and cut up, are afterward, so to say, patched together again. Fourth, one word is intercalated with another; as;—yosinindi, I know; mani, an estimable thing; yosinimanindi, I love or esteem.
MIZTEC GRAMMAR AND LORD'S PRAYERS.
There are many words in this language which express quite different things, according to the connection in which they are used, as;—yondakandi, I accompany somebody, means also I ask; yoyuhuindi, I counsel, signifies also, I go to receive somebody on the road; also, let us go; etc. Reverential terms are of frequent occurrence, necessitating almost a separate language when addressing superiors. For instance;—noho, teeth; yeknya yuchixa, teeth of a lord; dzitui, nose; dutuya, nose of a lord; dzoho, ears; tnahaya, ears of a lord. There is no regular plural, but plurality is expressed by the word 'many,' or the number. Personal pronouns are;—I, speaking to inferiors or equals, duhu, ndi; I, speaking with superiors, ñadzaña, ñadza, ñdza; thou, doho, ndo; thou, used by females speaking to their children, diya, nda; you, or your honor, disi, maini, ni; he, ta, tay, yukua; she, ña, (also used by women speaking of men); he or she, speaking respectfully, ya, iya; we, ndoo; you, doho; they, ta, tay, yukua. The pronouns, ndi, ndo, ta, are affixed to the verb; and the pronouns, duhu, doho, and tai, are prefixed; ñadzaña, is usually prefixed; ñadza or ndza, affixed; disi, and maini, are generally prefixed, ni is affixed; diya, is prefixed and ña, ndoo, and ya, are affixed.