Catalogue of Linguistic Manuscripts in the Library of the Bureau of Ethnology. (1881 N 01 / 1879-1880 (pages 553-578))

A scientific publication written in the late 19th century. This book serves as a detailed catalog of linguistic resources preserved within the Bureau of Ethnology, reflecting the interest of this time in documenting and studying the languages of Native American tribes. Its primary topic revolves around the collection and organization of linguistic data intended for ethnological research. The content of the book gathers various linguistic manuscripts concerning the languages of Native American tribes, focusing on vocabularies, grammatical notes, and related linguistic material compiled by different collectors. It documents contributions from several ethnographers and linguists, detailing efforts to gather comparative vocabularies and insights into the structure of these languages. The book includes structured schedules and instructions for collectors, highlighting essential linguistic elements such as numerals, kinship terms, and geographic names. Overall, Pilling’s work aims to facilitate a systematic approach to studying the diverse linguistic heritage of Native American tribes, contributing significantly to the fields of linguistics and anthropology.