The Aleut language

Washington: US Department of the Interior, 1944. — 167 pp. The elements of Aleut grammar with a dictionary in two parts containing basic vocabularies of Aleut and English.I considered the preparation of a grammar of such a language as Aleut almost a completely useless labor because a grammar is not necessary for the Aleuts who can communicate their thoughts to one another without knowing grammatical rules and who certainly will not retain their own tongue much longer. Nor is it necessary to provide one for foreigners who never think of learning such a language. But, having seen with what zeal and untiring energy many have striven to gather all kinds of information and how interesting to such persons are even the least fragments of knowledge, I decided to compose, if not a complete grammar, then at least to formulate some grammatical rules of the language. Perhaps they will be useful to someone studying the origin of the language and will provide material for historical conjecture because I have observed in this language word endings and expresions which are wholly superfluous to a primitive person for the communication of his needs or for general understanding. None of the Aleuts today can furnish satisfactory definitions of many of these word endings and expressions.