different, claps of the tongue than the former, yet it does not employ
them so often as the latter.
The system of orthography, and pronunciation here made use
of, is the same which I have adopted for the Sichuana language, and
will be found more fully explained in another part of this volume.
But it is necessary to state, in this place, that the comma (’) implies
that the following syllable should be preceded by the first clap ; the
same mark inverted (*) requires the second; and the double inverted
comma, (“) the third.
The Jirst, or dental clap is produced by pressing the tongue
against the upper front-teeth and suddenly drawing it away, so as to
give a sound resembling that which some people make as a mode ot
expressing vexation. This is the most acute of the three, or that
which gives the highest tone.
The second or palatial is formed by applying the tongue to the
middle of the palate, or roof of the mouth, and by withdrawing it
in the same manner, a clucking noise is produced, of a lower tone
than the first.
The third or guttural is similarly formed by placing the tip of
the tongue against the hinder part of the palate; by which the same
kind of noise as the second, but of a graver or still lower tone,
is produced; and requiring a greater effort of enunciation.
In all of these three, which have already been correctly described
by Le Vaillant, the lips do not touch each other; and the sound is
followed so immediately by the syllable, to which it belongs, that
both seem to form but one syllable. The difficulty of pronunciation,
for European organs, is least in the first, and greatest in the
third. Yet without these clapping sounds, the words would be unintelligible
to a Hottentot ear; and cannot therefore be omitted in
speaking any of the dialects of their language.
Some writers, have adopted the mode of indicating all these
claps, which they did not distinguish from each other, by prefixing
the letter t to the word or syllable; as tky. It appears also that sometimes
a g or a k has been used to express the third sort; as in the
word gnu. This circumstance is here mentioned for the purpose of
ex p la in in g h o w it h a p p en s th at su ch w ord s are sp elt som etim es
w ith o u t th o se letters and som etim es w ith th em . B u t th is m eth o d is
liab le to o b jectio n s, as it in tro d u ces a false o rth og ra p h y, an d con seq
u en tly a false p ron u n cia tio n .
A SPECIMEN OF THE LANGUAGE OF THE KORA HOTTENTOTS.
One - - - - - - 'Ktdi (or ’Quee, as it might be written according to English
pronunciation).
Two - - - - ’Kant.
Three - - “GtinA (or Goonah in English). The mark for ‘ short quantity’
( ) implies that the vowel beneath it, is to be pronounced
in a short and indistinct manner.
The acute accent (') is here, as in every other part
of this work, used to indicate the syllable which bears
the accent, or emphasis.
Four Ha/caa, or Haled. Double vowels are used merely to express
a more lengthened sound, and are to be considered
as bearing the accent: or the same thing is signified by
the mark for c long quantity’ (") placed over a single
vowel.
Five - - - - - - - KS.ru (Kooroo, in Eng.)
Six - - - - - - - "Ndntii.
Seven - - - - - Hongku (Hongkoo).
Eight - - - - - - (Kysi.
Nine - - - - Guest (Gooaysy).
Ten - - - - - - - Desi (D&ysy).
Eleven - - - - - - 'Kin'lea (’Kooe’ka). On comparing this with the word for
‘ one,’ a difference in spelling and accenting, will be
observed; but they are here written exactly as they were
spoken. It appears that the pronunciation and place
of the accent, change according to the composition of
the word, or to its place in a sentence: and this probably,
may be done merely for smoothness of sound. Twelve - - - - - - ’Kam'lava, (’Kam’qua).
Thirteen - - - - - “Gima'fasoa* The remarks at ‘ eleven’ are applicable to this
and to several of the following words.
Fourteen - - - - - Halca'Jma.
Fifteen - - - - - - Kuru’Jcwa.
Sixteen - - - - - - “Nanni’fcioa.
Seventeen - - - - - H on hihm .
Eighteen - - - - - ‘Kysi'letm.
Nineteen / - - - - - GuesPkxva.
Twenty - - - - - - »Kamdesi.
Yes - - - - - - - or
No - - - - - - _ Hanhan, or Haan. This has a nasal sound like that of the
French words, dans, terns.
I - - - - - - - - Tin (Teery, in Engl.) •