The language which the early inscriptions have revealed to us is not, of course, composed equally of these four elements.  It does, however, contain strong marks of admixture.  It is predominantly Cushite in its vocabulary, Turanian in its structure.  Its closest analogies are with such dialects as the Mahra of Arabia, the Galla and Wolaitsa of Abyssinia, and the ancient language of Egypt, but in certain cases it more resembles the Turkish.  Tatar, and Magyar (Turanian) dialects; while in some it presents Semitic and in others Arian affinities.  This will appear sufficiently from the following list: 

[Illustration:  PAGE 42]

Dingir, or Dimir, “God.”  Compare Turkish Tengri. Atta, “father.”  Compare Turkish atta. Etea is “father” in the Wolaitsa (Abyssinian) dialect. Sis, “brother.”  Compare Wolaitsa and Woratta isha. Tur, “a youth,” “a son,” Compare the tur-khan of the Parthians
     (Turanians), who was the Crown Prince.
E, “a house.”  Compare ancient Egyptian e, and Turkish ev. Ka, “a gate.”  Compare Turkish kapi. Kharran, “a road.”  Compare Galla kara. Huru, “a town.”  Compare Heb. [—­] Ar, “a river.”  Compare Heb. [—­] , Arab. nahr. Gabri, “a mountain.”  Compare Arabic jabal. Ki, “the earth.” Kingi, “a country.” San, “the sun.” Kha, “a fish"(?). Kurra, “a horse.”  Compare Arabic gurra. Guski, “gold.”  Compare Galla irerke. Guski means also “red” and “the evening.” Babar, “silver,” “white,” “the morning.”  Compare Agau ber, Tigre
     burrur.
Zabar, “copper.”  Compare Arabic sifr. Hurud, “iron.”  Compare Arabic hadid. Zakad, “the head.”  Compare Gonga toko. Kat, “the hand.”  Compare Gonga kiso. Si, “the eye.” Pi, “the ear.”  Compare Magyar ful. Gula, “great.”  Compare Galla guda. Tura, “little.”  Compare Gonga tu and Galla tina. Kelga, “powerful.” Ginn, “first.” Mis, “many.”  Compare Agau minch or mench. Gar, “to do.” Egir, “after.”  Compare Hhamara (Abyssinian) igria.

The grammar of this language is still but very little known.  The conjugations of verbs are said to be very intricate and difficult, a great variety of verbal forms being from the same root as in Hebrew, by means of preformatives.  Number and person in the verbs are marked by suffixes—­the third person singular (masculine) by bi (compare Gonga bi, “he"), or ani (compare Galla enni, “he"), the third person plural by bi-nini.

The accusative case in nouns is marked by a postposition, ku, as in Hindustani.  The plural of pronouns and substantives is formed sometimes by reduplication.  Thus ni is “him,” while nini is “them;” and Chanaan, Yavnan, Libnan seem to be plural forms from Chna, Yavan and Liban.