LORD'S PRAYER.

Tata ( Father ) huchaeueri ( our ) thukirehaca ( thou who art ) auándaro ( heaven in ) santo ( holy ) arikeue ( be said ) thucheueti ( thy ) hacangurikua ( name ) uuehtsini ( make us ) andarenoni ( arrive ) thucheueti ( thy ) irechekua ( kingdom ) ukeue ( be done ) thucheueti ( thy ) uekua ( will ) iskire ( as in ) auándaro ( heaven in ) umengahaca ( it is made ) istu ( as ) umengaue ( it be made ) ixu ( as ) echerendo. ( earth in. ) Huchaeueri ( Our ) curinda ( bread ) anganaripakua ( daily ) instcuhtsini ( give us ) iya ( to-day ) canhtsini ( and to us ) uepouachetsnsta ( forgive ) huchaeueri ( our ) hatzingakuareta ( fault ) iski ( as also ) hucha ( we ) uehpouacuhuantstahaca ( forgive ) huchaeueri ( our ) hatsingakuaecheni ( debtors ) ca ( and ) hastsini ( not us ) teruhtatzemani ( lead us ) terungutahperakua ( temptation ) himbo. ( but ) Euahpentstatsini ( deliver us ) caru ( also ) casingurita ( evil ) himbo.[X'-7] ( of. )

MATLALTZINCA GRAMMAR.

West of the valley of Anáhuac, in the ancient kingdom of Michoacan, and in the district which is now called Toluca, was an independent nation, the Matlaltzincas, whose language, of which there are several dialects, notwithstanding the assertion of some writers that it was connected with or related to the Tarasco, must still stand as an individual and distinct tongue. Comparisons may develop a few phonetic similarities, but otherwise the two do not approach one another in the least.[X'-8]

There are twenty-one letters used in the Matlaltzinca language:—a, b, ch, d, e, g, h, i, k, m, n, o, p, q, r, t, tz, th, u, x, y, z. Compounded words are frequently used and are considered very elegant;—kimituhoritakimindutzitzi, to look for something to eat; kituteginchimuthohuinikuhumbi, I give a good example. Gender is expressed and there is also a declension. There is a singular, a dual, and a plural; the dual is designated by the preposition the;—huema, the man; thema, the two men. The plural is designated by the preposition ne;—nema, the men; but there are some inanimate substantives with which this latter preposition is not used.

The personal pronouns are:—kaki, I; kakuehui, kakuebi, kakuehebi, we two; kakohuiti, kakehebi, we; kahachi, thou; kachehui, you two; kachohui, you; inthehui, he; inthehuehui, they two; inthehue, they. Possessives:—niteyeh, mine; kaxniyeh, thine; niyeh inthehui, his.

CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO LOVE.

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.

CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO SIN.

Verbal nouns are formed by prefixing the syllable sa, or sasi, to the present indicative of the verb. Regarding the dialects of the Miztec, Pimentel quotes the following from Father Reyes' grammar. All the dialects may be grouped into two principal languages, which are those of Tepuzculula and Yangüitlan. That of Tepuzculula is the best understood throughout the district of Mizteca.

The Pater Noster in the Tepuzculula dialect is as follows.

Dzutundoo ( Our father ) yodzikani ( thou art ) andevui ( heaven ) nakakunahihuahandoo, ( let us praise, ) sananini ( thy name ) nakisi ( come ) santoniisini ( thy kingdom ) nakuvui ( be done ) ñuuñayevui ( (in the) world ) inini ( thy will ) dzavuatnaha ( as also ) yokuvui ( be done ) andevui. ( (in) heaven. ) Dzitandoo ( Our bread ) yutnaa yutnaa ( each day ) tasinisindo ( give us much ) huitno ( to-day ) dzaandoui ( forgive us ) kuachisindoo ( our sins ) dzavuatnaha ( as well as ) yodzandoondoo ( we forgive ) suhani ( debtor ) sindoo ( ours ) huasa ( not ) kivuiñahani ( lead us ) nukuitandodzondoo ( we will fall ) kuachi ( in sin ) tavuiñahani ( deliver you ) sañahuahua. ( from evil. ) Dzavua ( So ) nakuvui. ( be it made. )

For the purpose of illustrating the difference between the dialects, I insert two other Pater Nosters, the first of Miztec bajo, and the second of the alto dialect:

Dútundo hiadícani andívi ñacùú hii ña nániní: naquíxidíca satónixiní: nacúu ndúdu ínìní ñunahívi yóhò daguatnaha yo cúu ini andivi. Ditàndo itián itían taxinia nundi vichi: te dandooni cuachindi dagua tnaha dandoondi naa ni dativi nundi: te maza dáñani ntziuhu uncaguandi ña dativindi: te cuneguahanindi nuu nditaca ña unguaha. Duha na cuu Jesus.

Dzutuyo iyoxicani andivi nacui hii ñanánini. Naquixi xatòniixini. Nacúhui ndudzuinìni uñaiviyóhò, sahuatna yocúhui ini andivi. Dzitàyo itian itian taxini nundi vichi: sandoo-ni cuáchiyo, sahuatanha yo sandondi nanidzativi nundi taun-sayáhani ñacanacahuandi zadzativindi. Sacacunino ñahani nuu nditaca ña hunhua. Dzaa nacuu Iya Iesus.[X'-14]

Another language, said to be connected with the Miztec is the Amusgo. Wedged in between the Miztec and Zapotec are several tongues, of which, excepting a few Lord's Prayers, I find nothing mentioned but the names; it is not improbable that some of them were only dialects of either the Miztec or Zapotec. These are the Mazatec, Cuicatec, and Chinantec, which latter is described as a very guttural tongue, with a rather indistinct pronunciation, so that it is difficult to distinguish the vowels; further there are mentioned the Chatino, Tlapanec, and Popoluca.[X'-15] Orozco y Berra declares that the following names designate the Popoluca in different states. Thus the Chocho, Chochona, or Chuchon, is said by him to have been called—in Puebla, the Popoluca; in Guerrero, the Tlapanec; in Michoacan, the Teco; and in Guatemala, the Pupuluca.[X'-16] Of these languages I have the following Lord's Prayers:

CHOCHO OR CHUCHON.

Thañay theeñingarmhi athiytnuthu y ñay dithiñi achuua dinchaxiñi atatçu ndithetatçu caguñi, nchiyatheetatçu ngarmhi andaatatçu saçermhi y tçama caatuenesacaha cahau atzizhuqhee caa tuënesacaha di ëñihay a taanguyheene cagüñi, ditheethaxengaqhine tuënesacaha nchiyaquichuu, ditheetaanguyheene cagüquichuu ... sacaha, thiytheecheëxengaqhine quichuu sacaha netçanga yhathamiñi çixitçeyasacaha yhee cheecaamiñi cheecaaqhi nemiñi caatuënesacaha caanenndiñaña andataazu.

MAZATEC AND CUICATEC LORD'S PRAYERS.

Of the Mazatec there are two specimens, which do not appear to accord, thus showing how little regard was paid to names:

Nadminá Nainá ga tecni gahami, sandumí ili ga tirrubanajin nanguili. Cuaha catama janimali, jacunit dic nangui cunit gahami. Niño rrajinna tey quitaha najin; qntedchatahanajin gadchidtonajin jacunitgajin nedchata alejin chidtaga tedtunajin. Guquimit tacuntuajin, tued tinajin cuacha ca tama.

Tata nahan xi nacá nihaseno: chacuca, catoma ñieré; catichová rico manimajin. Catoma cuazuare, donjara batoó cor nanguí, bateco, nihasen: niotisla najin ri ganeihinixtin, tinto najin dehi; nicanuhi ri guitenajin donjara batoo, juirin ni canojin ri quiteisjajin, quiniquenahi najin ri danjin quis anda nongo niqueste. Meé.

Of the Cuicatec there are also two dialects:

Chidao, chicane cheti jubí chintuico ña; cobichi, jubi ña; chichií, chicobi no ns: ñendi ña; cobichi ñenoña. Duica ñahán, ñahán tando cheti jubi. Nondo ñecno; chi jubi, jubi; techi ni nons: má dinenino, ni chi canticono, dinen, tandonons; dineninono chi canti co ñehen nons, ata condicno; na tentac ioñ, ante danhi, dinenino ni chin que hé danhi.

Chida deco, chicanede vae chetingue cuivicu duchi dende cuichi nusun dende vue chetingue cui, tundube vedinun dende tica nañaa, tandu vae chetingue yn dingue deco de huehue techide deco guema yna dechecode deco ducue ticu tica, tandu nusun nadecheco deevioducue chichati cusa yati, tumandicude cuitao vendicuido nanguaedene ducue chiguetae.[X'-17]

ZAPOTEC GRAMMAR AND LORD'S PRAYER.

The ancient kingdom of Zapotecapan, in which the Zapotec language was spoken, extended from the valley of Oajaca as far as Tehuantepec. The different dialects were, the Zaachilla, Ocotlan, Etla, Netzicho, Serrano de Ixtepec, Serrano de Cajones or Beni-Xono, and Serrano de Miahuatlan.[X'-18] The Zapotec is a more harmonious language than the Miztec, and is spoken with considerable elegance, metaphors and parables abounding.[X'-19] Yet it is in some places pronounced indistinctly; so much so that Juan Córdova, the author of a grammar, complains that the letters a and o, e, y, and i, o and u, b and p, and t and r, are often confounded. The h is used only as an aspirate. The following letters of the alphabet represent the sounds of the Zapotec: a, b, ch, e, g, h, i, k, l, m, n, ñ, o, p, r, t, u, y, x, z, th. There are also five diphthongs: æ, œ, ei, ie, ou. The plural is expressed either by numerals or by adjectives;—pichina, deer; ziani pichina, many deer. Like the Aztec, Miztec, and others, the Zapotec has reverential terms. The personal pronouns are;—naa, ya, a, I; lohui, loy, looy, lo, thou; yobina, your honor (when speaking to superiors); nikani, nike, nikee, ni, ke, he or they; yobini or yobina, he, (speaking respectfully); taono, tono, tonoo, tona, no, noo, we; lato, to, you.

Possessives;—xitenia, mine; xitenilo, thine; xitenini, his; xitenitono or xitenino, ours; xitenito, yours. Interrogatives used with animate beings, are;—tuxa or tuia, tu or chu; and with inanimate things: xiikaxa, xiixa, xii; koota is used for either animate or inanimate objects.

There are four conjugations, which are distinguished by the particles with which they commence. The first uses, in the present, ta, in the past, ka, and in the future, ka; the second has te, pe, and ke; the third, ti, ko, ki; and if they are passives, ti, pi, ki, or ti, ko, and ka; the fourth uses to, pe, and ko.

CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO DIG.

The following is an example of the differences between the dialects. Child in the Zaachilla is batoo; in the Ocotlan, metho; in the Etla, binnito; in the sierra, bitao; in the tierra caliente, bato.

The Pater Noster with literal translation taken from the Catecismo of Leonardo Levanto, reads as follows.

Bixoozetonoohe ( Father our ) kiiebaa ( heaven ) nachiibalo ( thou who art above ) nazitoo ( great ) ziikani ( has been done  ) laalo ( thy name ) kellakookii ( kingdom ) xtennilo ( thine ) kita ( will come ) ziika ruarii ( here ) nitizigueelalo ( thy will ) ziika ( as ) raka ( is done ) kiaa, ( above, ) kiiebaa ( heaven ) laaniziika ( as ) gaka ( be done ) ruarii ( here ) layoo. ( earth. ) Xikonina ( The bread of all us ) kixee kixee ( to-morrow ) peneche ( give ) ziika ( also ) anna ( to-day ) chela ( and ) a ( not ) kozaanañaaziikalo ( lead us ) tonoo ( us ) niiani ( that ) ya ( we ) kezihuina: ( sin: ) peziilla ( deliver ) zika ( also ) tonoo ( us ) niiaxtenni ( of ) kiraa ( all ) kellahuechiie. ( evil. ) Gaga ( Will be done ) ziiga ( so ) ziika.[X'-20] ( so. )

Between the head waters of the Rio Nexapa and Goatzacoalco the Mije language is spoken. It is described as guttural and rough, and by some as poor in words, necessitating auxiliary gestures. The bishop of Oajaca, to whose diocese they belonged, in a letter to Archbishop Lorenzana stated that he had a people under him, who could only converse during daylight, for at night they could not see their gestures and without these were unable to understand each other.[X'-21] The following alphabet is used by Pimentel in writing this language;—a, b, ch, e, h, i, k, m, n, ñ, o, p, t, u, v, x, y, tz. Two and more consonants frequently follow one another in the same syllable, as;—akx, epx, itzp, otzk, mma, mne, mpi, mto, mxu, etc. Vowels are also frequently double, as;—kôô, arms; teikkaa, and tinaak, stomach. In declensions the genitive is formed by prefixing the letter i;—xêuh, name; dios ixêuh, name of God. The plural is formed by the terminal toch;—toix, woman; toixtoch, women.

PRONOUNS.

MIJE ADVERBS, PREPOSITIONS, AND CONJUNCTIONS.

ADVERBS, PREPOSITIONS, AND CONJUNCTIONS.

THE LORD'S PRAYER.

Nteitôôtz ( Father our ) tzaphoitp ( in heaven ) mtzônaiphee ( who lives ) konuikx ( blessed ) itot ( be ) mitzm ( thy ) xêuh ( name ) momoikôôtz ( give us ) mitzm ( thy ) konkion ( kingdom ) itunot ( be done ) mitzm ( thy ) tzokn ( will ) ya ( as ) naxhuiñ ( in earth ) ixta ( as ) ituiñu ( is done ) tzaphoitp. ( in heaven. ) Oôtzn ( Our ) kaik ( bread ) opomopomit ( daily ) momoikôôtz ( give us ) yoniit ( to-day ) etz ( and ) moyaknitokoikôôtzn ( forgive us ) pokpa ( sin ) ixta ( as ) ôôtz ( we ) niaknitokoi ( forgive ) ôôtzn ( our ) yachotmaatpa ( offender ) etz ( and ) katii ( not ) ôôtz ( as ) ixmomatztuit ( lead ) heekuxm ( that ) katii ( not ) ôôtz ( as ) nkedai ( let us carry ) huinonn ( temptation ) kûxn. ( in. ) Etz ( And ) mokohuankôôtz ( deliver ) nañihum ( all ) kaoiaphee ( evil ) kuxmit.[X'-22] ( from. )

The language of the Huaves spoken on the isthmus of Tehuantepec, is, according to tradition, not indigenous to the country. It is related that these people came by water from a place down the coast, although the locality whence they came is not given.[X'-23] I have only the following numerals as a specimen of the language.

CHAPTER XI.
THE MAYA-QUICHÉ LANGUAGES.

The Maya-Quiché, the Languages of the Civilized Nations of Central America—Enumeration of the Members of this Family—Hypothetical Analogies with Languages of the Old World—Lord's Prayers in the Chañabal, Chiapanec, Chol, Tzendal, Zoque, and Zotzil—Pokonchi Grammar—The Mame or Zaklopahkap—Quiché Grammar—Cakchiquel Lord's Prayer—Maya Grammar—Totonac Grammar—Totonac Dialects—Huastec Grammar.

The languages of the civilized nations of Central America, being all more or less affiliated, may be not improperly classified as the Maya-Quiché family, the Maya constituting the mother tongue. Commencing in the neighborhood of the river Goazacoalco, thence extending over Tabasco, Chiapas, Yucatan, Guatemala, and portions of Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua, it occupies the same relatively important position in the south as the Aztec farther north. Besides spreading out over this immense area, there are two branches still farther north, isolated from the mother tongue, yet conterminous to each other, the Huastec and the Totonac of Tamaulipas and Vera Cruz. Without including the last mentioned, probably the fullest enumeration of all these languages, is given by the Licenciado Diego García de Palacio, in a letter addressed to the King of Spain, in the year 1576. Omitting the Aztec, which he includes in his catalogue, his summary is substantially as follows. In Chiapas, the Chiapanec, Tloque, Zotzil, and Zeldal-Quelen; in Soconusco, a tongue which he designates as the mother language and another called the Vebetlateca; in Suchitepec and Guatemala, the Mame, Achi, Guatemaltec, Chinantec, Hutatec, and Chirichota; in Vera Paz, the Pokonchi, and Caechicolchi; in the valleys of Acacebastla and Chiquimula, the Tlacacebastla, and Apay; and in the valley of San Miguel, the Poton, Taulepa, and Ulua. Other authors mention, in Guatemala the Quiché, the Cakchiquel, the Zutugil, the Chorti, the Alaguilac, the Caichi, the Ixil, the Zoque, the Coxoh, the Chañabal, the Chol, the Uzpanteca, the Aguacateca, the Quecchi; and in Yucatan, the stock language, the Maya. Among all these languages thus enumerated by different authors, it is not at all unlikely that some have been mentioned twice under different names.[XI'-1] Most, if not all of them, are related to, if indeed they did not spring from one mother tongue, the Maya, of which a dialect, called the Tzendal is said to be the oldest language spoken in any of these countries. In fact, they all appear to be dialects and variations of some few tongues of yet greater antiquity, which again have sprung from the oldest of all, the Maya. This latter, I may say, forms the linguistic centre, from which all the others radiate, decreasing in consanguinity according to the distance from this centre, losing, by intermixture, and the adoption of foreign words, their aboriginal forms, until on reaching the outer edge of the circle, it becomes difficult to trace their connection with the source from which they sprang.[XI'-2]

THE MAYA LANGUAGE IN YUCATAN.

The Maya, with its many affiliations, may be well compared in its grammatical construction and capacity to the Aztec. It has in this respect been likened to the ancient Greek which it is said to resemble in many points. Although monosyllabic words are of frequent occurrence, it has not, as is common to monosyllabic languages, many very harsh and guttural sounds, but is generally called soft and well-sounding. The dialects spoken on the coast of Yucatan and near Belize, are the purest and most elegant of the Maya family, and the greater the distance from this region, the greater are the variations from the pure Maya.[XI'-3] Some remarkable hypotheses, which, if proven, would revolutionize many existing theories, ethnologic and philologic, have latterly been brought forward by the Abbé Brasseur de Bourbourg. This gentleman, who has devoted himself to the study of ancient Central America and Mexico for many years, and who is fully conversant with the languages of Yucatan and Guatemala, the Maya and Quiché, claims to have discovered a close connection between the Maya, Quiché, Cakchiquel, Zutugil, and others, with most of the chief languages of Europe; prominent among which he places the Greek, but mentions also Latin, French, English, German, Flemish, Danish, and others. Although on examination many of the abbé's so-called roots display similarities, both phonetic and in meaning, with some European words, still a large majority are evidently twisted to conform to the writer's ideas, and it will require not alone further investigations, but unprejudiced studies, such as are not made for the purpose of proving any particular hypothesis, to substantiate his theories. Until such impartial comparisons are made, and a clearer light thrown upon the subject, these Central American languages must remain content to be treated as strangers to those of the old world.[XI'-4] Of the languages previously enumerated I have the following specimens.

The Lord's Prayer in Chañabal, spoken in Comitan, in the state of Chiapas:

Tattic hayá culchahan tanlinubal á vihil jacué eg bagtic á guajan acotuc á guabal hichuc ili luhum jastal culchahan. Yipil caltzil eg güiniquil tic aquitic sva yabanhi soc culanperdon eg multic hichuc qucj ganticon guazt culanticon perdon machá hay smul sigilticon soc mi ztagua concoctic mulil mas lec coltayotic scab pucuj jachuc.

CHIAPANEC, CHOL, AND TZENDAL.

Lord's Prayer in Chiapanec:

Pua manguemé nilumá cané nacapajó totomomo copamimé chambriomo chalaya guipumutamu; gadilojá istanacupu cajilucá nacopajó: cajilo baña yacameomo nuori may tarilu mindamu oguajime lla copomimemo taguajime nambucamuñeme cuqueme gadiluca si memu casimemu tagnagime nambucamuñeme copá tipusitumu bica tipucapuimu mujarimimuñame mangueme. Diusi mutarilú nitangame chacuillame caji Jesus.

Lord's Prayer in Chol:

Tiat te lojon, aué tipuchan utzat alvilacaval trictic tolejón han gracia chulee viliç á pucical vafchec ti paniumil chee tipanchan. Laa cual ti juun pel quin, de vennomelojón gualee sutven lasvet baschee mue sutvenlaa y vetob laspibulob. Llastel ti lolontecl cotanon melojon y chachan jaipel y tiué nialoloion. Amen Jesus.

Lord's Prayer in Tzendal, as spoken near the celebrated ruins of Palenque:

Tatic, ta nacalat tachulchan: chulalviluc te ajalalvilé: acatalúc te aguajualé: acapastayuc: te tuxacane tajich ta chulchan jichucnix ta valumilal. Ecuctae jujhan acabeyaotic te guag vixtum cuntic tajujun caal chaybeyaotic te multic achiotic chaybetic ate hay smul cagtojoltique soyoc mameaguac yalucotic ta mulil colta yaoticnax tastojol piscil te colae. Amen Jesus.

Lord's Prayer in Zoque, as spoken in Tabasco, Chiapas, and parts of Oajaca:

Theshata tzapguesmue itupue yavecotzamué mis nei, yaminé mis yumihacui, ya tuque mis sunoycui, yecnasquesi tzapquesmuese. Tesané hoimuepe homepe tzihete yshoy, yatocoyates mis hescova hes jaziquet mis atocoipasé thesquesipue jatzi huitemistetzaeu hocysete cuijomue ticomaye ya cotzocamisthe mumuyatzipue quesi, tese yatuque. Amen Jesus.

Lord's Prayer in Zotzil:

Totit ot-te nacal oi ta vinagel-utzilaluc á vi-acotal aguajualel-acopas huc á chul cano-echuc nox ta vinagel-eclusé ta valumil-acbeotic e cham-llocom llocomutic-ech xachaibeutic-cuie tag tojolic-ma á guae llalucuntic-ta altajoltic-ech xacolta utic nox ta stojol ti coloc. Amen Jesus.[XI'-5]

POKONCHI GRAMMAR.

Of the Pokonchi Language I have a short grammar, by Thomas Gage, which has also been used by Vater and Gallatin. Following are a few of its prominent features:

Nouns are declined by the aid of particles, of which there are two kinds, varying accordingly as the word to be declined commences with a consonant or with a vowel. For words commencing with a consonant the particles nu, a, ru, ca, ata, and quitacque are used; and for those commencing with a vowel, v, av, r, c, or q, ta, qu, and tacque. These particles are partly prefixed and partly affixed, as will appear in the following examples. So the word pat, house, and tat, father, are by Gage declined in the following manner.

The declension of the word acun, son, and ixim, corn, are given by Gage, as follows:

Verbs in like manner change the particles, by means of which they are conjugated, accordingly as the word commences with a consonant or a vowel. For those commencing with a consonant the particles are;—nu, na, inru, inca, nata, inquitacque. Thus the word locoh, to love, is conjugated as follows:

CONJUGATION OF THE VERB LOCOH, TO LOVE.

Sometimes the verb I will is added to express the future;—inva, I will; nava, thou wilt; inra, he will.

Verbs beginning with a vowel have the following particles;—ino, nav, inr, inqu, or inc, nauta, inqu tacque, or inc tacque. Thus the verb eça, to deliver, is conjugated.

Adjectives are indeclinable, and the plural of nouns cannot be distinguished from the singular, as;—kiro uinac, good man; kiro uinac, good men.

The following Lord's Prayer comes from the same source:

Catat taxah vilcat; nimta incaharçihi avi; inchalita avihauripau cana. Invanivita nava yahvir vacacal, he invataxab. Chaye runa cahuhunta quih viic; naçachtamac, he inçachve quimac ximacquivi chiquih; macoacana chipam catacchyhi, coaveçata china unche tsiri, mani quiro, he inqui. Amen.[XI'-6]

MAME CONJUGATION.

Of the Mame, or Zaklohpakap, the following extract is from a grammar written by Diego de Reynoso. The letters used are: a, b, ch, e, h, i, k, l, m, n, o, p, t, u, v, x, y, z, tz. There are no special syllables or signs to express gender, but distinct words are used, as;—mama, old man; ahkimikeia, old woman; mamail, old age of a man; keiail, or ahkimikil, old age of a woman. The plural of animate beings is expressed by the particle e prefixed to the word;—vuinak, person; evuinak, persons; but it is considered as elegant also to affix the same e;—kiahol, son; ekiahole, sons. For inanimate things, either numerals or adjectives expressing the plural are used;—abah, stone; ikoh abah, many stones. Personal pronouns are;—ain, I; aia, thou; ahu or ahi, he; ao or aoio, we; ae or aeie, you; aehu or aehi, they.

CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO BE.

CONJUGATION OF THE VERB XTALEM, TO LOVE.

Of the Quiché, there is an abundance of material. The letters used are;—a, b, c, e, g, h, i, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, t, u, v, x, y, z, tz, tch. Gender is expressed by prefixing the noun ixok, woman, to the word, as;—coh, lion; ixok coh, lioness; mun, slave; ixok mun, female slave. The sound ish expressed by the letter x denotes inferiority, and is therefore frequently used to express the feminine of inferior beings. U in the Quichè and ru in the Cakchiquel are either possessive pronouns or denote the possession of the word which follows. The particles re and ri are at times used for the same purpose;—u chuch ahpop, the mother of the prince; qui quoxtum tinanit, the ramparts of the town. Before the vowels a, o, and u, they are changed to c; and before e and i, to qu. Derivatives are formed with the preposition ah, either prefixed or affixed to the primitive noun;—car, fish; ahcar, the fisherman; tzih, word; ahtzih, the speaker; etc. No positive rule can be given for the formation of the plural, as there are several different methods in use. The most common appears to be by the affixes ab, eb, ib, ob, ub;—beom, merchant; plural, beomab; ixok, woman; plural, ixokib; ahau, lord; plural, ahauab. In the Cakchiquel language the last letter b is omitted, as;—ixokib, women, in Quiché, is ixoki in Cakchiquel. With adjectives the syllables ak, tak, ic, tic, etc., are used instead;—nim, great; nimak ha, great houses; rihi, old; rihitak vinak, old people; utz, good; utzic va, good eatables. Adjectives are always placed before the substantives;—zak, white; zaki ha, white house. Substantives are formed from adjectives by adding one of the particles, al, el, il, ol, ul;—nim, great; nimal, the greatness; zak, white; zakil, the whiteness; utz, good; utzil, the goodness. These same substantives can be turned into adjectives again by adding the particle ah;—nimalah mak, great sin; utzilah achi, good man. In the same manner all substantives may be turned into adjectives by adding one of the particles alah, elah, ilah, olah, ulah, etc.; ahau, king or lord; ahaualah, royal.