Osage

noun social_nation

Proto-Siouan-Catawba

Proto-Siouan

Proto-Mississipi-Valley *wayáše

Proto-Dakota *wažáže

Lakota waja´je , †wažáže ‘DA clan name’ EB:523

Dakota ważáża , †wažáže ‘Osage’ [dotted z’s] JPW:123

Proto-Hoocąk-Chiwere

Chiwere wara^íye , †waraʔíye ‘Osage’ JGT:196 , wásasi , †waraʔíye ‘Osage’ JGT:196 , wásasi , †waraʔíye ‘Osage’ JGT:196 , wášaši , †waraʔíye , wáshashi , †waraʔíye

Hoocąk waráš ‘Osage’ KM:3426 , waraš

Proto-Dhegiha *wažáže

Omaha-Ponca wažáže ‘Osage, Ponca subclan name’ F&LF:101

Kanza/Kaw wažáže ‘Osage’ RR

Osage wažáže ‘Osage’ RR

Quapaw wažáže ‘Osage’ RR

General comment

Cf. ‘brave (2)’. This may have been a Proto-Mississipi-Valley clan name; Ponca, Kanza/Kaw and Osage have Osage clans, and Lakota has an Osage band. The Hoocąk and first Chiwere words suggest *wara(i)že or *wayáše rather than the otherwise obvious proto-MVS *wažáže There would be no reason for Chiwere/Hoocąk to have this form unless it were a relic; Proto-Dakota probably borrowed the DH term. JOD claims this term is/was connected with snakes, q.v. It has been borrowed outside of Siouan, cf., among others, Tunica wášaše ‘cry of a captive’ MRH; Yuchi wešášiha Osage (LB).

Other languages

  • Tunica TU wášaše ‘cry of a captive’ MRH
  • Yuchi YU wešášiha ‘Osage’ LB
Language Cognate Phonetic Siouan Meaning Comment Sources