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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. cover

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.

Chapter 43: CHAP. XIII.
By Roger Williams
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About This Book

The work presents a practical lexicon of Indigenous words from New England, offering English equivalents, pronunciation hints, and variant spellings alongside brief notes on usage. Entries are arranged in dictionary-style lists and paired with concise observations about local customs, social practices, place names, and forms of worship, often illustrated by examples and cross-references. Interspersed commentary reflects the compiler's encounters and aims to aid communication and comprehension between English speakers and the native population. The text also includes introductory material on method and occasional polemical or explanatory remarks about cultural differences.


CHAP. XIII.

Of the Weather.

T Ocke tussinnámmin kéesuck, What thinke you of the Weather?
Wekineaûquat, Faire Weather.
Wekinnàuquocks, When it is faire Weather.
Tahkì or tátakki, Cold Weather.
Tahkèes, Cold.

Obs. It may bee wondred why since New-England is about 12 degrees neerer to the Sun, yet some part of Winter, it is there ordinarily more cold then here in England: the reason is plaine: all Ilands are warmer then maine Lands and Continents, England being an Iland, Englands winds are Sea winds, which are commonly more thick and vapoury, and warmer winds: the Nor-West wind (which occasioneth New-England cold) comes over the cold frozen Land, and over many millions of Loads of Snow: and yet the pure wholsomenesse of the Aire is wonderfull, and the warmth of the Sunne, such in the sharpest weather, that I have often seen the Natives Children runne about starke naked in the coldest dayes, and the Indians Men and Women lye by a Fire, in the Woods in the coldest nights, and I have been often out myselfe such nights without fire, mercifully and wonderfully preserved.

Taúkocks, Cold weather.
Káusitteks, Hot weather.
Kussúttah, It is hot.
Núckqusquatchnnóonakom, I am a cold.
Nickqussittâunum, I sweat.
Mattáuqus, A cloud.
Máttaquat, It is overcast.
Cúppaquat,
Sókenun, ánaquat, Raine.
Anamakéesucksókenun, It will raine to day.
Sókenitch, When it raines.
Sóchepo, or Cône, Snow.
Animanâukocksóshepo, It will snow to night.
Sóchepwutch, When it snowes.
Mishúnnan, A great raine.
Pâuqui pâuquaquát, It holds up.
Nnáppi, Drie.
Nnáppaquat, Drie weather.
Tópu, A frost.
Missittópu, A great frost.
Capàt, Ice.
Néechipog, The Deaw.
Míchokat, A Thaw.
Míchokateh, When it thawes.
Missuppâugatch, When the rivers are open.
Cutshâusha, The Lightning.
Neimpâuog, Thunder.
Neimpáug pesk hómwock, Thunderbolts are shot.

Obs: From this the Natives conceiving a consimilitude between our Guns and Thunder, call a Gunne Péskunck, and to discharge Peskhommin that is to thunder.

Observation generall of the Weather.

That judgement which the Lord Jesus pronounced against the Weather-wise (but ignorant of the God of the Weather) will fall most justly upon those Natives, and all Men who are wise in Naturall things, but willingly blind in spirituall.

English and Indians spie a storme
And seeke a hiding place:
O Hearts of stone that thinke and dreame,
Th’ everlasting stormes t’out face.
Proud filthy Sodome saw the Sunne
Shine ore her head most bright;
The very day that turn’d she was
To Stincking heaps, ’fore night.
How many millions now alive,
Within few yeeres shall rot?
O blest that Soule, whose portion is
That Rocke that changeth not.