black (3)

verb perceptual_visual_color

Proto-Siouan-Catawba

Proto-Siouan

Proto-Crow-Hidatsa *š(i)pí-

Crow šipíta ‘black’ RG , šipíta ‘black’ RG, GG:56, RGG:85

Hidatsa šipí- ‘black’ J , šipíša ‘black’ J , -špia, ará- ‘charred’ J , -špía, nu- ‘slander’ J

Pre-Mandan *spi-

Mandan psíʔš ‘it’s black’ RTC

General comment

Mandan shows regular metathesis of the cluster. Hidatsa -ia reflects an earlier *ihe. Hidatsa -ša, Crow -ta are a similitive suffix. Note that this set and ‘black (2)’ are in complementary distribution as to subgroups.

Other languages

  • Yuchi išpi ‘dark, dirty’ LB
Language Cognate Phonetic Siouan Meaning Comment Sources