Lykins' Orthography

The explanation that follows is Lykins own, transcribed verbatim from pages 5 and 6 of his book.

EXPLANATION

In This print, the common English types are used, not as letters to be combined on the principles of spelling, but merely as characters denoting particular sounds, and the position of the lips, tongue, throat, &c. at the commencement or termination of sounds by which the latter are modified.

In English six vowels are used, the uses of which are so varied as to make up the number of vowel-sounds required. In this system each distinct sound, that can be heard by the ear, is denoted by a character, the use of which is never varied. These characters are eight in number, and may be explained as follows.

This character [a] denotes the sound of a, as in far.
[r] .................................................... a, as in mane.
[e] .................................................... e, as in me.
[i] ..................................................... i, as in pin.
[o] ................................................... o, as in note.
[u] ................................................... u, as in tub.
[w] ................................................. oo, as in groove.
[y] .................................................... i, as in pine.

A SECOND class of characters denote simply the positions of the organs of speech; thus;

This character [k] indicates the position of the throat, as it is at the termination of the word hack.
[m] brings the lips easily together, as at the end of the word aim.
[n] places the tongue nearly flat on the roof of the mouth, as at the ending of the word man.
[p] brings the lips tightly together, as at the end of the word tap.
[t] brings the end of the tongue tight to the roof of the mouth, as at the end of the word hat.
[q] indicates the position of the throat, as when about to pronounce the word quart.

A THIRD class of characters are such as denote the position of the organs of speech, accompanied by a sound slightly distinguishable by the ear; as follows.

This character [h] has the power of ch, as at the beginning and end of the word church.
[l] has the power of sh as in shine, or hush.
[s] denotes the hissing sound occurring at the beginning of the word site, and at the end of the word case.

WITH these seventeen characters, none of which has a name, the Putawatomie language is written.

EXAMPLE. Take the English word tape. At this character [t] on the line, the reader places the end of the tongue tight to the roof of the mouth, as above directed; this [r] directs him to make a sound, given above; and at this [p] he brings his lips tightly together--and in doing so he necessarily pronounces the word tape.

Again; transpose the characters on the line, and place this [p] first, and this [t] last, and observe the rule as above, and the word pate, as pronounced in English, is necessarily articulated.

Again; take the Putawatomie word neesh, [two;] place the tongue nearly flat to the roof of the mouth, as required by [n;] utter a sound, as denoted by [e,] and end that sound in an aspiration, as indicated by [l,] and the word neesh is necessarily pronounced.

Again; the English word chase would be written thus; hrs.--SEE the power of these three characters as above described. The word should would be written thus; lwd.

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NOTE. As soon as an Indian learns the uses of these seventeen characters,--which requires about the same length of time as to learn the names of seventeen letters of the English alphabet,--he is capable of reading his own language.--Hence the Scriptures may properly be the learner's first book.