History of the Indian Tribes of Hudson's River — Passage 203 (part 2)
[Edward Manning Ruttenber (1872)] e., " Bright stream flowing through rocks." While it is perhaps impossible to translate many of the local and geographi cal names which are found in the valley of the Hudson, from the fact that the language was a mixture of Algonquin, Man hattan, Wappenackie, Mahican, Minsi and Iroquois, their form ation was in accordance with the concrete principle, and in many cases the root terms are easily detected. Connected with this branch of his subject, the author intro duces a plan of a system of geographical names, founded on the aboriginal languages, which gives to the investigation a practical form, and, if adopted, would enrich our own language as well as preserve the original. He says : u It is found that many aboriginal terms which are graphically descriptive in the native dialects, fail in the necessary euphony and shortness necessary to their popular adoption. The princi