Thus, Ojibwai, a Chippewa, becomes Oji^w-ais, Amik, a beaver, Amik-0.r, a young beaver

a little ;

Chippewa

;

Minnis, an island,

Minnis-fl/j, a small island ;

Shomin, a grape, Shomin-^/V, a little a small stone ; Sebe, a river, Ossin-m, stone, grape Seb-m, a small river ; Negik, an otter, Negik-w, a small otter ; ;

Ossin,

a

Wakiegun, a house, Wakieg-^wi, a small house. These diminu can be employed, supersede the use of ad

tives, as far as they

and are happily jectives, ridicule or contempt.

employed by the Indian

in expressing

When applied to animals, or to inorganic

is very nearly limited to an objects, their meaning, however, both the local and di or Sometimes in size age. inferiority

minutive inflections are employed.

Thus the word minnisainsing signifies, literally, in the little island.

The syllable ish, when added to a noun, indicates a bad or dreaded quality, or conveys the idea of imperfection or decay.

APPENDIX.

The sound of this inflection is sometimes changed to eesb, oosb, or aush.

bad

Thus Eckwai,

woman

;

Nebi,

a

water,

woman, becomes Eckwai-if/V^, a becomes Nebe-^, strong water ;

Webeed, a tooth, becomes Webeed-tfw.f, a decayed or aching The rule is nearly universal that the final sound of sh 9

tooth.

in any of its forms, is indicative of a faulty quality.

Substantives have, therefore, a diminutive form, made in ais^ or aus ; a derogative form, made in isb, eesb, oosh, or ausb ; and a local form, made in aing, eeng, ing, or ong. By a ees, oSj