Indian Languages Database
Record Details
The British empire in America... Second edition, corrected and amended.
London: John Brotherton, John Clarke, A. Ward, et al. ESTC: printed for J. Brotherton, J. Clarke..., A. Ward, J. Clarke..., C. Hitch [and 5 others in London], 1741
Physical Description: 2v. : xxxiv, [2], 567, [1] p. front. (fold. map), illus. (music), 4 fold. maps; 1 p.l., 487 p. 3 fold. maps. 20.5 cm. (8vo)
Call number: D741/ O44b
Accession number: 08929
Notes: Contains brief discussions and samples of Indian languages from diverse areas in North America and the Caribbean. Vol. 1 (North America) contains: a brief specimen of festival music, with words, sung by “those that dwell about Port royal... called the Souriquois” [Micmac] (p. 37); several terms in Massachuset, with English equivalents, described as instances from John Elliot (p. 90-91; lacks examples in three different dialects found in 1708 edition; surrounding text also differs from that edition); several terms from New York-Long Island [Algonquian language - Connecticut/Quiripi/Quinnipiac? Montauk/Patchoag/Unquachog?], with English equivalents (p. 276); several terms from Pennsylvania [Iroquoian language - Susquehannock? / Algonquian language - Delaware?], with English equivalents (p. 307); from Hudson’s Bay, approximately 30 words and phrases, with English equivalents, in use among the Cuscudidah band [King Cuscudidah: Attikamek subgroup, Algonquian language family?] (p. 558). “The History of St. Christopher’s” in vol. 2 (West Indies) contains remarks on the language of the “Charibbeans”, including differences between men’s and women’s speech; sample vocabulary, with English equivalents, given for both sexes (p. 266-267).
First published London, 1708, with dedication signed: J. Oldmixon, and here enlarged.
To access digital facsimile copy of book, click here.
Languages: Algonquian languages / Atikamekw / Carib / Iroquoian languages / Massachuset / Micmac
Genre: Specimen / Vocabulary
Region: Caribbean Islands / North America
