In truth he
uses the Indian language to a considerable extent, according to the
principles of the Chippewa syntax.
Thus it is perceived from the letter, which is printed verbatim--
1. That the letter _t_ is not uttered when standing between a consonant
and vowel, as in "understand."
2. The want and misuse of the prepositions _of, from_, and _to_.
3. The use of the participial form of the verb for the indicative.
4. The use of pronouns immediately after nouns to which they refer.
5. The interchange of _d_ for _t_, and _g_ for _k_, as in _do_ for _to_,
and "_thing_" for _think_.
6. The suppression of the sound of _r_ altogether, as heard in _re_, and
_re_ligion, &c.
7. Confounding the perfect past with the present tense.
8. The misuse of the indefinite article, which is wanting, in the
Indian.
9. The habitual non-use of the imperative mood.
10. The transitive character of verbs requiring _objective_ inflections,
for the nominative, &c.
11. The absence of simple possessives.
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