A Key Into the Language of America, or an Help to the Language of the Natives in That Part of America Called New-England / Together with Briefe Observations of the Customes, Manners, and Worships, &c. of the Aforesaid Natives, etc.

1. A dictionary or Grammer way I had consideration of, but purposely avoided, as not so accommodate to the benefit of all, as I hope, this forme is.

2. A Dialogue also I had thoughts of, but avoided for brevities sake, and yet (with no small paines) I have so framed every Chapter and the matter of it, as I may call it an implicite Dialogue.

3. It is framed chiefly after the Narrogánset Dialect, because most Spoken in the Countrey, and yet (with attending to the variation of peoples and Dialects) it will be of great use in all parts of the Countrey.

4. Whatever your occasion bee either of Travell, Discourse, Trading &c. turne to the Table which will direct you to the Proper Chapter.

5. Because the Life of all Language is in the Pronuntiation, I have been at the paines and charges to Cause the Accents, Tones or sounds to be affixed, (which some understand according to the Greeke Language, Acutes, Graves, Circumflexes) for example, in the second Leafe in the word Ewò He: the Sound or tone must not be put on E, but Wò, where the grave accent is.

In the same Leafe, in the word Ascowequássin, the sound must not be on any of the Syllables, but on quáss, where the Acute or Sharp sound is.

In the same leafe, in the word Anspaumpmaûntam, the Sound must not be on any other Syllable but Maûn where the Circumflex or long sounding Accent is.

6. The English for every Indian word or phrase stands in a straight line directly against the Indian: yet sometimes there are two words for the same thing (for their Language is exceeding copious, and they have five or six words sometimes for one thing) and then the English stands against them both; for example in the second leafe.