otter

noun animal_mammal

Proto-Siouan-Catawba

Proto-Siouan

Proto-Mississipi-Valley *Ro•šną́-ke (?)

Proto-Hoocąk-Chiwere *Ro•šną́ke

Chiwere dostánge , †dostáŋe ‘otter’ JGT:196 , dostáñye , †dostáñe ‘otter’ JGT:196

Hoocąk toošą́nąk ‘otter’ KM:3137 , toošąnąk

Proto-Dhegiha *Rošną́-ke

Omaha-Ponca nuzhnoⁿ´ , †nošną́ ‘otter’ F&LF:104

Kanza/Kaw dohną́ge ~ ttohną́ge ‘otter’

Osage ṭohnóⁿge , †htohną́ke ‘otter’ LF:155a

Quapaw tošną́ke ‘otter’ RR

Proto-Southeastern *mo-šrųke

Proto-Biloxi-Ofo

Biloxi xanaxka , †xanaxka ‘otter’

Ofo oⁿfnatkạ , †ǫfnatkə ‘mouse’

Proto-Tutelo-Saponi

Tutelo munaxka , †munaxka ‘beaver’

Saponi Mosnukhe F

Proto-Catawba

Woccon chaunoc JL

General comment

Cf. Tunica húhki (MRH); Mohawk onu:kote ‘weasel’ Bonvillain; Tuscarora chaunoc ‘otter’ (Lawson). The -nu/ahk- root turns up for various kinds of (mostly) Mustelidae all over eastern NA, probably via diffusion. The Kanza/Kaw tt variant and the listed Osage form may represent a conflation of *ptą- with *-Ro•šrą́ke. Cf. the non-cognate Lakota ptą ‘otter’ (EB:664a). Cf. ‘beaver’.

Language Cognate Phonetic Siouan Meaning Comment Sources