Page:The Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal 7(346).djvu/4

 present is formed by the addition of een. This termination of the participle present becomes, however, in some districts, ween. Example:—

Present, yugow (to stand.)

Preterite, yu-ga-ga.

Participle present, yu-gow-een.

There are three kinds of preterite tense, which relate respectively to a time just elapsed, to a time which has elapsed by a small interval, and to a time which has long since elapsed. These are distinguished by prefixing to the regular preterite the words go-ree (just now), garum (a short time since), and gorah (a long time ago.)

There are also two kinds of future tense employed; the one expressing that an action is about to take place immediately, or within a short interval of time, and the other expressing that it will not take place until a considerable interval of time has elapsed. These future tenses are distinguished by the symbols "boorda" (presently), and "mela" (at a future time.) They are generally prefixed to the infinitive mood, but occasionally to the participle present. Whenever the first or second person singular of the future tense is employed, the pronouns respectively used are "nad joo" (I, or I will), "whune-doo" (you, or you will); as "nadjoo boorda yugow" (I will stand presently)

The imperative mood is formed by laying an additional emphasis upon the present tense.

No change takes place in the singular or plural number of the various tenses, and the different persons of a tense are formed by the mere addition of the characteristic pronouns.

All verbs have also a participle past, but I am unable to give any general rule for the formation of this participle.

Upon the proper use of the pronouns it is necessary to bestow the greatest care, for they are not only very complicated, but a slight change in the termination of one of them will altogether alter the force and meaning of a sentence; whilst by properly using them, an otherwise insignificant phrase is rendered replete with meaning. As this is more especially the case with regard to their dual nunmbers, I will here give these.

The first of these dual numbers is used relatively to brothers, sisters, or generally between two friends, implying, in fact, that two people stand to one another in the relation of brothers.

The second dual expresses two persons standing to one another in the relation of parent or child, uncle and nephew, &c., &c.

Whilst the third dual expresses that two persons, male and female, are either man and wife, or are greatly attached to each other.

In addition to these, they have the first person of several other incomplete dual numbers, and also the first person of a number which expresses three, and which is constantly used. This is "ngal-a-ta" (we three.)

The genitive case of the personal pronouns is formed in the same manner as that of the nouns, by the mere addition of uk, or ung; although there is an exception to this rule in the genitive case of the second person singular, as will be seen below:—

The place of the different words in a sentence in this language is the same with the arrangement followed in most of the Eastern languages,—that is, the substantive always precedes the verb, or adjective; and the pronoun always precedes the noun to which it belongs.

The usual form of negation in a sentence, is by affixing the terminations burt or broo, both of which mean not; as nganya kattige-burt (I understand not.)

A question is always put by terminating the sentence with the interrogative interjection kana? (eh?) as nginnee watto murrije, kana? (you are going away, eh?)

It will be found that I have given only a few of the principal compound words. I have been induced to pursue this course for the sake of brevity, and because most of the compound words are formed according to the caprice of the speaker; but a compound word may be formed from any two verbs, taking care not to connect them by a conjunction, and indeed nearly all words may be compounded, according to the necessity of the case. The word most commonly used in compounds is "midde" (an agent); and all verbs may be rendered substantives by the addition of this word; for instance, the "kalga," or stick for pulling down the banksia cones, is equally represented by the word "mungyte-burrang-midde" (the mungyte bringing agent.)

One remarkable point in this language, and to which I should much wish to call the attention of any person studying it, is, that whenever any verbs express a similarity of action, this fact would appear to be denoted by a common termination being given to the iwfinitive mood of such verbs. An example will fully show what I mean.

A variety of verbs express the action of carrying; for instance,

Bur-rang, to carry off or bring.

Wun-dang, to wear, or carry on the back.

Moon-ang, to carry in the arms.

Deen-ang, to carry on the shoulders.

Go-tang, to carry in a bag.

All express the action of carrying, and have all a common termination. The same rule holds good with verbs expressing other actions; and I believe that if observations were made upon this point, much light might be thrown upon the origin and construction of this language.

In conclusion, I have to observe, that although this vocabulary stands in my name, I have received very important assistance in its compilation from many individuals; amongst others, from His Excellency the Governor, from Mr. Armstrong the Interpreter, from the Hon. G. F. Moore, Esq, and from the Messrs. Bussel, of the Vasse district.

Ad-jo, corruption of nad-jo; I will

, that

, merely, only; ya ga

, within, beneath

, low down; a corruption of the word nar duk

, we

, sick, ill, sore

, the beard; a corruption of nan-ga

, bad, foolish, childish, weak

, pudendum

, a friend

, thin, small, wasted

, matter from a bile or sore.

, interval between two stones or rocks near together; as boye-bad-jé, nginnoween

, to bite, hurt, pain, ache

, he, she, it; the third person singular of all genders

, a long sort of dtuna; see dtuna

, silly, foolish, giddy, childish

, a species of Xanthorea

, they

, them

, a leaf, a gum-leaf

, to track

, uncovered, naked; mya-broo boka broo; as baljarra ngwundow, to sleep without a hut in the open air

, species of opossum

, to attack, assault, slay. In some parts pronounced short, as badjiu

, fighting contest; bac-at chin, throwing spears

, secretly

, to hide

, one of the principal families into which the natives are divided. The general laws relative to these families are, that no man can marry a woman of the same family name as himself: and that the children should always take the family name of their mother. As the sons inherit the property of their father, it follows that the land is never for two generations in the hands of men of the same family name, and in the event of the head of a family having had several wives of different family names, his land becomes divided between several new families. His male children also owe certain duties to their half-brothers, and other duties to the men of their own family name, which often clash with one another, and give rise to endless dissensions amongst them. The other principal families are the Dton dar-up, Na-gar-noke, No go-nyuk, and Ngotak; but there are again several subdivisions of these families

, on this side, this way, in this direction

, accidentally, unintentionally

, dew, water resting on any thing in drops

, "Boyee Balyata," a stone that cannot be moved; fixed form

, hungry, empty

, species of stingray fish. The natives will not eat this fish

, a bat

, outside, in the open air

, a leg, a shank

, hungry, (a Northern word)

, an animal that burrows in the ground, the walloby

, to sweat, perspire, drop water; sometimes it means wet

, to jump

, fording, wading; as beloe bar dungeen, fording a river

, a bittern

. a white grub found in the xanthorea. These grubs have a fragrant, aromatic flavour, and form a favorite article of food amongst the natives; they are eaten either raw or roasted; they frequently form a sort of dessert after native repasts. The presence of these grubs in a grass-tree is thus ascertained: If the top of one of these trees is observed to be dead, the natives give it a few sharp kicks with their feet, when, if it contains any barde, it begins to give; if this take place, they then push it over, and, breaking the tree to pieces with their hammers, extract the barde

, to go

, near, not far

, openly, publicly; as "Nadjo boorda-bar-nack wur rang," I will bye and bye inform

, well, not ill

, joking, jesting, telling untruths

, deception, lying, deceit

, species of xanthorea

, the sun; a sort of rush with which the natives sew their cloaks

Bat-tar dal, lone-wild, trackless Bat-erre, rough, hard Be-an, to dig, scrape, scratch Be-a-ra, species of banksia; "

Beara Kalla," dead wood of the banksia Be dang ween un, pounding roots before eating them; Ya-dang-ween-nun Bee-bee, a breast, a nipple Bee-bil-yer, bird called the wild turkey Bee-dee, a vein, a path Bee-dee-eer, an old man with a large family, and having some weight among the other natives^ owing to this " mam-meiup bee-dee-eer"

Bee-na, down Bee-noon, lo pinch, to squeeze Bee-rai, daylight, the day Be-lar-a, a dead leaf, dried leaves Belli Belli, this or that side; superior, excellent Be-loe, a river, a stream; "

Gur-jyto ngoo-mon'* Bel-uk-a, enough, sufficient Be-rytcke, or Be-ytche, small cone of the banksia somewhat resembling the metjo; it burns slowly,, like a pastil Be-roke, the summer season. This season follows Kum-bar-rung, and is followed by Boor-no -roo, "Ngan-ga moor-doo-een"

Be-roon -na, north wind Ber-re, the nails; as Marra berre, hand nails Bet-tick, softly, noiselessly Betti-noon, to pinch Bid-doo-rook, or Bid-doo-rong, forenoon, about ten o'clock Bid-jak, stinking, offensive Bid-jar, sleep Bid-jar Ngwoondow, to sleep Bid-ji-roon-go, species of snake Bid-ye, in a dying state Be-dyle, charcoal Be-gyte, the forehead Bil-ga, the ancle Billang, as "

Billang gin-nung, " lifting up for the purpose of looking at a thing Bil-ya-go-rong, a species of bird Bil-yan-win, throwing off, taking off; asBokabil yan-win Bil-ye, the navel Bil-yup. a species of guana Bim-ban, to kiss; "

Neen-dyan"

(To be continued.) EDITED, PRINTED, AND PUBLISHED, BV CHARLES MACFAULL, AT THE GAZETTE OFFICE, PERTH. Terms of Subscription:-10.6d. per Quarter, if paid in advance; or. 12s. if paid at the end of the Quarter. Single number One shilling* Terms of Advertisements: For Eight lines 9«. 6d and 3d. per line above this number. > Advertisements must be paid for previously lo insertion.