Observations on the Vocabulary.

Prefixes.—The most frequent prefixes in the vocabulary are nyu and nya. They probably indicate the position of the noun as independent of expressed possessive relations. In the Chapanec they are also found, but not so commonly. They do not appear to be classificatory particles, as they are prefixed to the names of the most diverse objects.

Generic Names.—These are quite common, as is frequently the case in American languages, in spite of what has often been said to the contrary. The word nyu-mbu means any large quadruped; nyuⁱ, any insect; narimu, any kind of wild fruit, etc. It must be remembered that the genera into which individuals are grouped have a widely different connotation from those to which we are accustomed.

Cat.—The word for cat, misa, seems identical with the Cakchiquel mez. In Chapanec it is kitu, reminding one of kitten. As the domestic cat was unknown in America before the discovery, these words can probably be traced to some European source.

Color Names.—The color names appear difficult to analyze, and vary from those in Chapanec. Thus, as given by the various authorities, they are:

Mangue, Chapanec.

Black, nanzome, R. dujamä.

White, nandirime, R. dilimä.

Yellow, nandiume, R. nandikumä.

Blue or Green, { nandipame, R. ndipamä.

apame, B.

Red, arimbome, B. nduimä.

In these adjectives the termination me or mä does not belong to the root. Father Abornoz tells us that this suffix characterizes adjectives in the singular number, when they qualify a certain class of nouns “in tighe.” (See his Gram. p. 15.) The nasal or resonant beginning most of them is also a mere prefix.

Proper Names.—But few native families of the Mangue districts of Nicaragua have retained names drawn from their ancient tongues. In a list before me of several hundred persons in Masaya and Managua, the only surnames from the Mangue are Norori, Ñamendi, Namullure, Putoi, Nionongue, Macanche, and perhaps Huembes and Piura. Generally, the natives adopted Spanish surnames.

On the other hand, a large number of local names, derived from the Mangue language, on the map of Nicaragua still define the region once occupied by this nation. Such are Nindiria (from ninda, shore, diri, hill), Nakutiri (from naku, fire, diri, hill), Monimbe (nimbu, water, rain), Nandasimo (nanda, brook), Mombonasi (nasi, woman), Masaya, Managua, Namotiva, Norome, Nicoya, Oretina, etc., etc.