MS 2487 Dictionary and grammar of the Nez Perce language

Scope and Contents

Consists of the following sections: 1. English-Nez Perce vocabulary. 8 pages. Received in Smithsonian Institution, August, 1875. 2. English-Nez Perce dictionary. 735 pages filled with English words but only about 1800 Nez Perce equivalents have been filled in on a total of 405 pages. 3. Vocabulary notes. Principally English-Nez Perce notations; some Nez Perce-English. Not alphabetically arranged. 2 volumes, approximately 475 pages. (1 volume=approximately 200 pages, 2nd volume=approximately 275 pages) This is apparently the original material from which the final or "clean" copy (Number 2 above) was being prepared. It probably contains data which had not yet been entered in the final copy. 4. Nez Perce-English vocabulary of ca. 40 terms occupying only 15 of 60 pages. 5. "Nez Perce Grammar." [Deals with verbs only.] 129 pages. 6. Verb conjugations and grammatical notes. Apparently the original from which the neat copy of the verbs (Number 5, above) was prepared. Includes material on nouns, and possibly other data not in the neat copy. Ca. 86 pages. 7. Nez Perce-English alphabetical list of particles, adverbs, conjunctions, etc., and grammatical notes. 22 pages.

Biographical / Historical

Compiled over a period of 20 years while the author was a missionary at Lapwai, Idaho.