The American race : a linguistic classification and ethnographic description of the native tribes of North and South America

First published in 1891, this book was the earliest attempt to construct a systematic classification of all the indigenous languages of the Americas, focusing particularly on the relationship between culture and grammar and vocabulary. It addresses the various theories of the origins of the American race, and the archaeological evidence for the presence of humans in the Americas. It discusses geologists' opinions and the physical geography of the Americas in relation to Europe, and considers the physical characteristics of the Native Americans, their culture, religion, domestic habits and family organisation, providing a comprehensive anthropological and historical context for the linguistic work. Special attention is paid to the parts of the continent, mostly south of Mexico, whose ethnography was little known at the time of writing. Each chapter covers a particular region, and there is a detailed linguistic appendix. PREFACE......Page 10 CONTENTS......Page 14 INTRODUCTORY......Page 18 1. THE NORTH ATLANTIC GROUP......Page 60 II. THE NORTH PACIFIC GROUP......Page 104 III. THE CENTRAL GROUP......Page 119 SOUTH AMERICAN TRIBES......Page 166 I. THE SOUTH PACIFIC GROUP......Page 173 II. THE SOUTH ATLANTIC GROUP......Page 230 LINGUISTIC APPENDIX......Page 334 I. INDEX OF AUTHORS......Page 370 II. INDEX OF SUBJECTS......Page 375 PREFACE 10 CONTENTS 14 INTRODUCTORY 18 NORTH AMERICAN TRIBES 60 1. THE NORTH ATLANTIC GROUP 60 II. THE NORTH PACIFIC GROUP 104 III. THE CENTRAL GROUP 119 SOUTH AMERICAN TRIBES 166 I. THE SOUTH PACIFIC GROUP 173 II. THE SOUTH ATLANTIC GROUP 230 LINGUISTIC APPENDIX 334 I. INDEX OF AUTHORS 370 II. INDEX OF SUBJECTS 375 9781108006477 Cambridge University Press