Page:An Australian language as spoken by the Awabakal.djvu/289

 THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE.

It was during the year 1827, being the third year after the com- mencement of my mission to the aborigines, that the first work of this kind was produced — the result of my researches, assisted by M'Gill. The work was entitled " Specimens of the Language of the Aborigines of New South Wales," and was printed in Sydney, the only attempt that had then been made by anyone to obtain a thorough grammatical knowledge of the aboriginal language of Australia, in any of its various dialects, and to render it into a written form.

In 1834, on the recommendation of the Rev. W. G. Broughton, the then Arch-Deacon of Xew South Wales, the Colonial Govern- ment, and the Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge, London, conjointly advanced sufficient funds to enable me to to publish a small edition, now out of print, of "An Australian Grammar of the Language as spoken by the Aborigines in the Vicinity of Lake Macquarie, New South Wales." In 1850, I published, on my own account, " A Key to the Structure of the Aboriginal Language, being an Analysis of the Particles used as Affixes, to form the various modifications of the Verbs, showing the essential powers, abstract roots, and other peculiarities of the language." Both of these works were presented to, and exhibited at, the Royal National Exhibition, London, 1851.

This Lexicon will contain only those words which are used in the Gospel by Saint Luke. For the exemplification of such tenses and cases as may not be used therein, reference must be made to the " Australian Grammar," and to the " Key to the Structure of the Aboriofinal Language."

A few illustrative sentences will be found at the end of the Lexicon, showing the mode in which certain forms of English phraseology are expressed in the aboriginal language.

As a tribute of respect to the departed worth of M'Gill, the intelligent aboriginal, whose valuable assistance enabled me to overcome very many difficulties in the language much sooner than otherwise could have been accomplished, his likeness is also attached to this work.

��L. E. THRELKELD.

��Sydney,

New South Wales, 1859.

�� �