CHAPTER XVII.
CONCERNING OTHER PECULIARITIES OF THE ABIPONIAN
TONGUE.
At this moment, I am doubtful whether to call the language of the Abipones a poor or a rich one: after I have told you what words they want, and what they abound in, you yourself shall decide on this point. The Abipones are destitute of some words which seem to be the elements of daily speech. They, as well as the Guaranies, want the verb substantive to be. They want the verb to have. They have no words whereby to express man, body, God, place, time, never, ever, everywhere, &c. which occur perpetually in conversation. Instead of I am an Abipon, they say Aỳ`m Abipon, I Abipon; instead of thou art a plebeian, Akami Lanařaik, thou plebeian. They often substitute some neuter verb for an adjective and verb substantive, like the Latins, who say bene valeo as well as sum sanus. Thus, I am strong, Riahòt, thou art strong, Grihochi, he is strong, Yhòt. I am brave, Riapòt, thou art brave, Grapochì, he is brave, Yapòt. I am fearful, Riakalò, thou art fearful, Grakaloi, he is fearful, Yakalò. Let the Spaniard come, I shall be brave: Tach hanék Kaámelk, la riapotam. See how well the Abipones do without the verb to be! as also the verb to have. I have many horses: Ayte yla ahëpega: many horses mine. I have many fleas: Netegink loapakate enò! Pop. I have no meat: Chitkaeká lpabè. I have no fishes: Chigekoà nòayi. Hekà has the same meaning with the Abipones that datur or suppetit has with the Latins, es giebet with the Germans, and hay with the Spaniards. Chitkaekà is a negative, and signifies that there is no meat, fishes, &c. In the plural number it changes to chigekoà. Is there food? Meka kanák?
Neogà means a day, and likewise time. Grauek, the moon, is taken for a month. Yñieřa, the flower of the alfaroba, also denotes a year. Hence, when they wish to ask any one how old he is, they say, How many times has the alfaroba blossomed during your life-time? Hegem leyera yñiegari? which is a very poetical expression. For the body they name the skin or bone, thus taking the part for the whole. Yoalè means only a husband; it is however used to signify a man. In the same way the Guaranies use the word Aba, which denotes a husband, and the Guarany nation, as they have no word for man. Aba che has three meanings, I am a Guarany, I am a man, or I am a husband; which of these is meant, must be gathered from the tenor of the conversation. Perhaps there are nowhere more virgins than in the country of the Abipones, yet they cannot express a virgin except by a paraphrase, as haayè simply means a young girl. For never, they say chik or chit, thus, I shall never go hence: Chik rihiukàm. They more frequently say, Chitlgihe rihiukàm. Chitlgihe means, there appears no time in which I shall go hence. They express eternal by interminable, thus: Life eternal, Eleyřa chit kataikañi, the life which is not finished. We used the Spanish word for God, whose name they are ignorant of: Dios, eknam Kaógarik, or Naenatřanak hipigem, kachka aalò. God, who is the maker of all things, or the creator of heaven and earth. Kauè signifies to make; Kaógarik, a maker. They call eggs Tetarik l'kauetè, the hen's work.
They cannot express everywhere in one word, but explain it in this way: God is in heaven, in earth, and there is not a place in which he is not; Menetahegem quem hipigém, menetañi quen aaloà, ka chigekòr amà, chig enaè. I omit innumerable other words which they want, but which they make up for in various ways. Many things which we always express with one and the same word, they distinguish with various names, or entirely transform, by clothing the original word with new particles. After having exposed the poverty of this language by examples, I ought briefly to make you acquainted with its richness, in the same manner.
It contains an incredible number of synonymes, thus: Kachergaik, Kameřgaik, Kereřaik, and Laykamé, all signify an old man. Elořaik, Egargaik, Ahamřaik, and Chitkaeka Lach, dead. Nahamatřek, Nuichieřa, Noélakierek, and Anegla, war. Kiñierat, Hanák, Nakà, and Naek, food. Lemařat and Lapañik, the head. Hipigem and Ohajenk, heaven. Chigriařaik, Taagè, Uriakà Ntà, Chig ñetun, and Akamitañi, I know not, which last is the same as if one should reply to a question, Thou thyself know'st it, thus acknowledging his own ignorance. They sometimes repeat the words of the interrogator, to show that they do not know what he asks about. They call a wound generically Lalaglet. If it be inflicted by the teeth of a man or a beast, they call it Naagek; if by a knife or a sword, Nichar̂hek; if by a lance, Noarek; if by an arrow, Nainek. They fight, if the kind of fight be not expressed, would be rendered Roélakitapegetà; if they fight with spears, Nahámretà; if with arrows, Natenetápegetà; if with fists, Nemarketápegetà; if with words alone, Ycherikáleretaà; if two wives fight about their husband, Nejétentà. They signify that a thing is ended or finished in divers ways. The sickness is ended, would be rendered Láyamini; the rain, the moon, the cold is ended, Lánádmreuge neetè, grauek, latarà; the war is ended, Nahálañi aneglà; the Spanish soldiers are ended, that is slaughtered; Lanamichiriñi Kaáma yoalirípi; my patience is ended, Lanámouge yapik; the storm is ended, Layamhà; he hath ended his office, his magistracy hath expired, La yauerelgè; end, or finish thy work, Grahálgali, laamachi graénategi; now the thing is finished, Layam ayam; at the end of the world, Amla hanamřani. If a battle is fought with arrows, it is called Noatařek; if with spears, Noaařaranřek, or Nahamatřek; if with fists alone, Nemarketřek. This word reminds me of a ludicrous occurrence. A certain Bavarian lay-brother of our's stayed some time in the new colony of St. Ferdinand to build a hut for the Missionaries. Whilst he was employed in building, he daily had the Abipones for spectators, and heard them talk, without understanding a syllable of what they were saying. As he continually caught the words Nahamatřek, Noatařek, and many others ending in třek, one day at dinner he said to Father Joseph Brigniel, an Austrian, with much simplicity, "Never trust me, if the language of the Abipones isn't as like German as one egg is to another; I often hear them say Trek, Trek."
The Abiponian tongue might not improperly be called the language of circumstances, for it affixes various particles to words to denote the various situations of the subject of discourse: either hegem, above; añi, below; aigìt, around; hagam, in the water; óuge, out of doors; alge, or elge, on the surface, &c. The thing will be made plainer by examples: we use the same word is when we say, God is in heaven, is on earth, is in the water, is every where. The Abipones always add some new particle to the verb, to indicate situation, thus: Dios menetahegem ken hipigèm, God dwells above in heaven: menetañi ken aàloà, dwells below in the earth: meñetahàgàm ken enařap, dwells in the water, &c. Here the particles añi, hegem, and haganì are affixed to the verb ménetá. But now attend to something else. How great is the variation of the verb to follow[[2]]! I follow a person coming, Hauíretaigìt. I follow one departing, Hauiraà. I follow with my hand what is beneath me, Hauirañì, what is above me, Hauirihegeméege. I do not follow with my eyes, Chit heonáage. I do not follow with my understanding, (I do not comprehend,) Chig ñetunêtaigìt. I follow, I hit with an arrow, Ñaten. Some going out follow others, Yáueráatà, or Yauirétapegetà,I have followed, or perceived what another meditates or purposes in his mind, La hâui larenatřanřek lauel. I have followed or obtained what I desired, La hâuì eka kan ahelřanřat kiñi. Hear other examples: I fear, Rietachà. I fear water, Rietachahagam. It lightens, Rkáhagelk. It lightens afar off, Rkáhagelkátaigìt. It shines, Richàk. It shines on the surface, Richákatalgè. The brightness spreads wide, Richakataugè. I open the door towards the street, Hehòtouge lahàm. I open the door towards the window, Hehòtoà lahàm. If I should open two doors at the same time, Hehòtetelgè lahàm. Shut the door, Apëëgi lahàm. I die, Riigà. I am dying, Riigarari, I die of suffocation, Riigarañi, &c. &c.
[2]. Assequor.
We now come to speak of other particles, the use of which is very frequent amongst the Abipones.
They prefix là, now, to almost all words. Now the old woman weeps, Là reòkatarì cachergayè. Now I am terrified, Là rielk. Now I drink, Là nañam.
Tapek, or Tari, annexed to the last syllable of a verb, denote an action which is undertaken now: Hakiriogřan, I plough land. Hakiriogřanetapek, now, whilst I speak, I am ploughing. Haoachin, I am sick. Haoachinetari, I am sick at this very time.