Augmentatives are compounded from the word chingue, which signifies large; and sometimes the two words are separately used.
Chingue, or m’chingue puschis, a large cat. Chingewileno (for chingue lenno), a tall stout man. Chingotæney (for chingue otæney), a large town. Chingi wiquam, a large house. Chingamochol, a large canoe. Chingachgook, a large snake, &c.
There are a few augmentatives formed in a different manner; for instance, from pachkshican or kshican, “a knife,” are formed pachkschicanes, “a small knife,” and m’chonschicanes,[311] “a large knife;” still it is easy to see that m’chon, in the latter word, is derived from chingue, large or great, which, with a little variation, brings it within the same rule with the others.
You have, no doubt, observed in Zeisberger the terminations ink and unk, which express the idea of locality, coupled with a substantive, as for instance:
Utenink, or otænink, from otæney, a town; in the town. Utenink n’da, I am going to town, or into the town. Utenink noom, I am coming from within the town. Sipunk, (from sipo) to or into the river. M’bink, (from m’bi) in the water. Hakink, (from hacki) in or on the earth. Awossagamewunk, (from awossageme), in heaven. Wachtschunk n’da, I am going up the hill. Wachtschunk noom, I come from the hill. Hitgunk, on or to the tree. Ochunk, at his father’s.
As you must have observed that many of our Indian names of places end with one or other of these terminations, such as Minisink, Moyamensing, Passyunk, &c., you will understand that all these names are in what we might call the local case, which accounts for the great number of those which end in this manner.
I beg you will not write to me any more for the present, as I do not know how soon I may have the pleasure of seeing you. I anticipate great satisfaction from your acquaintance, and hope it will be improved into a true Indian friendship.
I am, &c.
J. HECKEWELDER.
