Examination of Conscience in “Mareschit language”
Source: Vetromile, Eugene. 1858. Indian good book for the benefit of the Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, St. John’s, Micmac, and other tribes of the Abnaki Indians, 507–509. New York: E. Dunigan & brother.
Note: Vetromile’s transcription is given in (a), followed by a proposed retranscription and translation in (b). The latter were prepared with the assistance of the late Peter L. Paul of Woodstock, NB.
1. a. <Kissetònes elghimelek?>
b. Kkisehtonèss eləkìmələk?
‘Have you done as you were instructed?’
2. a. <M’siu ghen-/estomenesbenìl elmatth’onìl?>
b. Msìw knəstohmənesəpə́nil eləmahtòwənil?
‘Have you disclosed all the things you have done?’
3. a. <Kedegheku katopes?>
b. Kàt kèkw katohpə̀ss?
‘You have not hidden anything?’
4. a. <K’nipskàtueps?>
b. Knipskatəwèps?
‘Have you blasphemed?’
5. a. <Kesgnip-/skatueps?>
b. Kèhs knipskatəwèps?
‘How often have you blasphemed?’
6. a. <Medzithaâzo?>
b. Kməcitahasìps?
‘Have you had bad thoughts?’
7. a. <Kesgmedzi-/thaâzo?>
b. Kèhs kməcitahasìps?
‘How often have you had bad thoughts?’
8. a. <Kwisghi kwighithaatmen ska-/telghemalsion?>
b. Kwisəki-wikitahàtəmən skàt elkəmiksíwən?
‘Have you truly desired not to sin?’
9. a. <Dwableiinen uskitab?>
b. Ktowapəleyówa wskitàp?
‘Have you acted improperly with a man?’
10. a. <Wen uskinoos, kessena despakatek?
Wen uskinoos, kessena d’spàkatek?>
b. Wèn wskinòhs, kə̀səna cepkátək?
‘With some unmarried man, or a married one?’
11. a. <Ketelna-/ben?>
b. Ktələnápem?
‘Was he your relative?’
12. a. <Uen nakseku, kessena d’spakatek?>
b. Wèn nàkskw, kə̀səna cepkátək?
‘With some unmarried woman, or a married one?’
13. a. <Kes?>
b. Kèhs?
‘How many?’
14. a. <Kemedzipappiuzips?>
b. Kməci-pahpiyosìps?
‘Have you masturbated?’
15. a. <K’putine’-/swekkiin?>
b. Kpíhtin ewéhkəyən?
‘Did you use your hand?’
16. a. <Ankootsk kemetsi kwighi-/dahama kisi uskidgin?>
b. Ankwə̀c kməci-wikitaháma kici-wskicìn?
‘Do you sometimes desire a fellow Indian improperly?’
17. a. <Kemtsi thsuemia kisi uskidgin?>
b. Kməcitahasəwáma kici-wskicìn?
‘Have you thought improperly about a fellow Indian?’
18. a. <Kemetzatoweps?>
b. Kməcatəwèps?
‘Have you used vulgar language?’
19. a. <Kelo-/skips?>
b. Kkəloskìps?
‘Have you lied?’
20. a. <Kpisowakowima kisi uskidgin?>
b. Kpisəwahkwíma kici-wskicìn?
‘Have you borne false witness against a fellow Indian?’
21. a. <Kowighesseum?>
b. Kwikə́ssəm?
‘Are you a drunkard?’
22. a. <Kiounas kowaaps?>
b. Kkiwənaskwahàps?
‘Have you passed out from drinking?’
23. a. <Kemìllanes kisi uskidgin pokteoutsk?>
b. Kmilanèss kici-wskicìn poktéwick?
‘Have you given a fellow Indian liquor?’
24. a. <Komòtnesk?>
b. Kkəmotənèsk?
‘Do you steal?’
25. a. <Kitseaowi komotneps?>
b. Kkihceyawi-kəmotənèps?
‘Have you stolen a lot?’
26. a. <Kekussei kemotnatemeunsk?>
b. Kekwsèy kemotənatəmə̀ns?
‘What
have you stolen?’
27. a. <Dlok Esse-/untaik?>
b. Ktəlòhk ehsə́ntek?
‘Have you worked on Sunday?’
28. a. <Nekeghiu ketelokepa?>
b. Nkekìw ktəlohkèps?
‘Did you work the whole day?’
29. a. <Mitsi-/nès wius uskeewatekwik?>
b. Kmicinèss wíyuhs weskehewátkwik?
‘Have you eaten meat on Friday?’
30. a. <Kemenosèka-/sips?>
b. Kmənohsehkasìps?
‘Have you fasted?’
31. a. <Kelòktiniass kisi uskidgin?>
b. Kkəloltinəyàss kici-wskicìn?
‘Have you argued with a fellow Indian?’
32. a. <Kemigakeps ketelnaben?>
b. Kmikahkèps ktələnápem?
‘Have you fought with a relative?’
33. a. <Komantuetini-/ass kigoos temikthakoos?>
b. Kmatənətinəyàss kìkəwəss te kmíhtakws?
‘Have you argued with
your mother and your father?’
34. a. <Kulizik gset-/kowak kenikigook kegus iusk?>
b. Koli-ciksə̀təwak knikíhkok kékwəss yóhosk?
‘Do you heed what your parents tell you?’
35. a. <Ktasi-/themak kewighikook muskowelmoosk?>
b. Ktasitémak knikíhkok moskowèləməsk?
‘Do you talk back to your parents when they correct you?’
36. a. <Ketepeloghemoosk?>
b. Ktəpəlokemə̀sk?
‘Do you gossip?’
37. a. <Kepilowighemoosk?>
b. Kpiləwikemə̀sk?
‘Do you spread false stories?’
38. a. <Kemattaas nizowiek?>
b. Kmattahàss knisəwíyekw.
‘Have you hit your spouse?’
39. a. <An’kouts skat kepoketsiau naat alemeskemook?>
b. Ankwə̀c skàt kkespəkwsìw natələmeskémək?
‘Don’t you sometimes oversleep when people are going to mass?’
40. a. <Ke-/mesk asàlteul?>
b. Knəskəsaltiniya?
‘Are
you angry with somene?’
41. a. <Ankutsk kemuskwitha-/ama kisi uskidgin ketlitaaze nebal met-/sine?>
b. Ankwə̀c kmoskwitaháma kici-wskicìn ktəlitahàs nəpal mehcinèt?
‘Do you sometimes dislike a fellow Indian and wish that he were dead?’
42. a. <Ankutsk kemuskwithaama kisi uskidgin ketlitaaze nebal skadegheku nebahtkook?>
b. Ankwə̀c kmoskwitaháma kici-wskicìn nəpal skàt kèkw nehpahtùhk?
‘Do you sometimes dislike a fellow Indian and wish for him not to kill any game?’
43. a. <Kemuskwithaama kisi uskidgin katets nulikelolau malens ne metsine?>
b. Kmoskwitaháma kici-wskicìn kàt=əc koli-kəlolàw, maləm=c=na mehcíne?
‘Have you disliked a fellow Indian and wouldn’t make up with him, and then he died?’
44. a. <Ankutok kemutsadzium kisi uskidgin?>
b. Ankwə̀c [skàt] kmohsacíwən kici-wskicìn?
‘Are you sometimes not fond of a fellow Indian?’
45. a. <Ankutsk ketalowimook kisi uskidgin kwizukkeman keghesk?>
b. Ankwə̀c ktaləwíməkw kici-wskicìn kwicohkéman kekèsk?
‘Has a fellow Indian sometimes called upon you in vain to help him a little?’
46. a. <Skat kespuxippeus?>
b. Skàt kkespəkwsihpə̀ss?
‘Haven’t you overslept?’
47. a. <Dzeskwetahazu?>
b. Kcəskowitahasìps?
‘Have
you been jealous?’
48. a. <Kat-/hama ghekukelhcatsidji?>
b. Katáma kwihkukelkeskìw?
‘Haven’t you been unfeeling?’
49. a. <Kukkhaup awezamiketemagheiun?>
b. Kèkw weci-wsami-ktəmakeyíyən?
‘For what are you too poor?’
50. a. <Ankootsk skat kulitaaze metsimu kukkeu?>
b. Ankwə̀c skàt kolitahasìw wcìw kèkw?
‘Are you sometimes unhappy about something?’
51. a. <Ankootsk kemuskithaàma kenikigook?>
b. Ankwə̀c kmoskwitahámak knikíhkok?
‘Do you sometimes dislike your parents?’
52. a. <Kemili-/taaze skat kankeumiau eimiawigwamok?>
b. Kmilitahàs skàt sankewimiyáwən əyimiyewikəwámək.
‘Does your mind wander so that you do not pray quietly in church?’
53. a. <Kepàlabie?>
b. Kpalapíhi?
‘Are you prideful?’
54. a. <Kepalabietazo?>
b. Kpalabəwitahasìps?
‘Have you had prideful thoughts?’