Chapter X

LANGUAGE AND ITS RELATION TO NORTH AMERICA
MIGRATIONS.

Diversity of Languages in America — Causes of Diversity —
Richness of American Languages — Polysynthesis — Grimm’s
Law — The Maya-Quiché Languages — Stability of the Maya —
Oldest American Language — The Maya compared to the Greek,
the Hebrew, the North European, the Basque, West African,
and the Quichua Languages — Epitome of Maya Grammar — The
Mizteco-Zapotec Languages — The Nahua or Aztec — The Classic
Tongue — Ancient and Modern Nahua — Epitome of Aztec Grammar
— Geographical Extension of the Aztec — In the South — In
the North-west — Buschmann’s Researches — The Sonora Family
— Opata-Tarahumar-Pima Family — Moqui and Aztec Elements
— Aztec in the Shoshone and in the Languages of Oregon
and the Columbian Region — Line of Aztec Elements — The
Nahua probably the Language of the Mound-builders — The
Otomi — Supposed Chinese Analogies — Japanese Analogies —
Geographical Names.