sister (2) mSiEl

noun social_kin

Proto-Siouan-Catawba

Proto-Siouan i-htą́•ke

Proto-Mississipi-Valley *i-htą́ke

Proto-Dakota *thąké

Lakota thąké ‘man’s elder sister’ RTC

Dakota thąké ‘man’s elder sister’ SRR:458a

Assiniboine thąge ‘man’s elder sister’ PAS

Stoney thąkú- ‘man’s elder sister’ PAS:693

Proto-Hoocąk-Chiwere *ithą́ke

Chiwere ithą́ŋe ‘male’s or female’s younger sister’ RR

Hoocąk hičą́k ‘female’s younger sister’ KM:829 , hicąk

Proto-Dhegiha *ihtą́ke

Omaha-Ponca ittą́ge RR

Kanza/Kaw ittą́ge ‘his sister, her younger sister’ RR

Osage ihtą́ke RR

Quapaw ittą́ke RR

Proto-Southeastern

Proto-Biloxi-Ofo

Biloxi táñke ṭopí , †tą́ke ‘his younger sister (rare form)’ D&S:272a , táñḳi, tañk, tañḳiyaⁿ , †tą́ki ‘man’s older sister’ D&S:272a

General comment

This appears to be the prototype of various sister terms, others being derived from it by several distinct means. It seems to have been originally a term used by male speakers to refer to their sisters; it was later extended to use by female speakers in a few instances. The “elder than Ego” versus “younger than Ego” distinction was seemingly less strong for sisters than for brothers, given the wide variety of sister terms derived from this prototype.

Crow isahká ‘mother’ (GG-89, DEC-22), although superficially similar, does not match phonologically or semantically. Cf. ‘sister (3) mSiYo’, ‘sister (5) wSiYo’.

Language Cognate Phonetic Siouan Meaning Comment Sources