Indian Languages Database
Record Details
A primer for the use of the Mohawk children, to acquire the spelling and reading of their own, as well as to get acquainted with the English tongue; which for that purpose is put on the opposite page. Waerighwaghsawe Iskaongoenwa tsinwaondad-derighhonny Kaghyadoghsera; nayondeweyestaghk ayeweanaghnòdon ayeghyàdow kaniyenkehàga Kaweanondaghkouh; dyorheas-hàga oni tsinihadiweanotea.
London: C. Buckton, 1786
Physical Description: 98 p., [1] leaf of plates : ill. ; 13 cm. (16mo)
Call number: D786/ C616p
Accession number: 06809
Notes: Alphabet, sample syllables, and one-syllable words in “Indian and English” (p. 2-5) are followed by English and “Mohawk or Iroquois” vocabulary arranged according to number of syllables, with no apparent semantic relation between the two language lists: words of 2 through 5 syllables for English and Mohawk on facing pages (p. 6-14) and words of 6 through 11 syllables for Mohawk only (p. 16-19). Bilingual text on facing pages (p. 20-66) includes “A short Scripture catechism for children” (p. 20-33) and “The church catechism” (p. 34-66, with the Ten Commandments on p. 42-49 and the Lord’s Prayer on p. 54-55). Also contains Mohawk-only texts: “Questions and answers, continued from an old manuscript, of the first missionaries to the Mohawk Indians, never printed before” (p. 66-71), followed by prayers and graces for morning, evening, and mealtime (p. 71-92). Concludes with bilingual list of Old and New Testament books (p. 92-94) and selected numerals through 10,000 (p. 94-98).
Attributed to Daniel Claus by Sabin. First published Montreal, 1781.
To access digital facsimile copy of book, click here.
Languages: Mohawk
Genre: Catechism / Vocabulary
Region: North America
