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A key into the language of America: or, An help to the language of the natives in that part of America, called New-England: Together, with briefe observations of the customes, manners and worships, &c. of the aforesaid natives, in peace and warre, in life and death. On all which are added spirituall observations, generall and particular by the authour, of chiefe and speciall use (upon all occasions,) to all the English inhabiting those parts; yet pleasant and profitable to the view of all men

Full Metadata

Overview

Year:
1643
Contributor:
Williams, Roger, 1604?-1683
Indigenous Languages Digitization Project (John Carter Brown Library)
Subject:
n-us-ri
Indians of North America > New England
Indians of North America > New England > Social life and customs
Indians of North America > Rhode Island
Indians of North America > Rhode Island > Social life and customs
Narragansett Indians
Narragansett Indians > Social life and customs
Narragansett language > Glossaries, vocabularies, etc
Indian linguistics > Narragansett language
Imprint 1643.
England > London
Extent:
[16], 91, 94-95, 92-93, 98-114, 105-197, [3] p. ; 16 cm. (8vo)

Files

Description

Notes:
by Roger Williams of Providence in New-England.
The words "upon all occasions," are printed within parentheses on title page.
Roger William's A key into the language of America: or, An help to the language of the natives in that part of America, called New-England is the first study of an indigenous language in America, according to J.C. Pilling. It consists of 32 chapters regarding various aspects of Naragansett life and includes a discussion of social life and customs regarding that activity and a glossary of words and phrases. Each chapter closes with the verses of a song in English, without music.
Three states of three pages of this edition exist: in the first, p. 92 following p. 95 has catchword "8epûo" not "Sepûo" and has "Rivelet" instead of "Rivulet"; in the second, p. 21 has catchword "Cha" instead of "Chap"; the third has the correct printing of "Is the water coole?" instead of "is the water coo" in the 7th line from bottom, right hand column of p. 12.
Signatures: A-O⁸ (A1 verso blank)
Woodcut head and tail pieces; initials.
Digital version available on Internet Archive.

Content

Citation

"A key into the language of America: or, An help to the language of the natives in that part of America, called New-England: Together, with briefe observations of the customes, manners and worships, &c. of the aforesaid natives, in peace and warre, in life and death. On all which are added spirituall observations, generall and particular by the authour, of chiefe and speciall use (upon all occasions,) to all the English inhabiting those parts; yet pleasant and profitable to the view of all men " (1643). John Carter Brown Library. Brown Digital Repository. Brown University Library. https://repository.library.brown.edu/studio/item/bdr:579776/

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