Indian Languages Database
Record Details
Conversion de Piritu, de Indios cumanagotos, palenques, y otros. Sus principios, y incrementos que oy tiene, con todas las cosas mas singulares del pais, politica, y ritos de sus naturales, practica que se observa en su reduccion, y otras cosas dignas de memoria.
Madrid: Juan García Infançón, 1690
Physical Description: [16], 160, [8], 250, [6] p. ; 15 cm. (4to)
Call number: BA690/ R934c
Accession number: 05950
Notes: In 2 parts. Pt 1 includes “Introduccion historica” (p. 1-111, 2nd count), followed by "Practica que ay en la enseñança de los Indios, y vn directiuo para que los religiosos puedan conmodamente instruirlos en las cosas essenciales de la religion christiana" (p.112-160, 2nd count), a revision of the work originally published as author's Manual para catakizar, y administrar los santos sacramentos à los Indios que habitan la prouincia de la Nueva Andaluzia, y Nueva Barcelona, Burgos, 1683. Chapter 1 (p. 114-120) consists of brief texts in Cumana, with Spanish headings; chapters 2-5 (p. 121-137) contain discussions in Spanish on questions of translation into Cumana of religious texts; the rest of the Practica consists of Cumana versions of devotional and sacramental texts, concluding with a poem for the Nativity (p. 137-160). Includes an 8-page index of contents of Part 1 (leaves [1-8], 3rd count). Pt 2 includes "Reglas para la inteligencia de la lengua de los Indios de Piritu. Dispuestas por el mismo autor" (p. 1-46, 4th count); and "Tesoro de nombres, y verbos de esta lengua, con algunas frases, y modos de hablar particulares" (p.47-250, 4th count), listing approximately 5000 terms in Spanish alphabetical order with Cumana equivalents in parallel columns.
Both texts in part 2 appear to be derived from Manuel de Yangues, “Principios, y reglas de la lengua cummanagota”, Burgos, 1683; the “Reglas” is substantially abridged from Yangues’ “Principios”; the two dictionaries are similar in length but not identical.
To access digital facsimile copy of book, click here.
Languages: Cumana
Genre: Catechisms and Creeds / Dictionary / Grammar
Region: Spanish America
