tail (1)

noun physical_somatic_body_part_animal

Proto-Siouan-Catawba

Proto-Siouan *(i-)sį́•te

Proto-Crow-Hidatsa *cí•ta

Crow číisa GG:37, RGG:2

Hidatsa cí•ta ‘tail’ J

Pre-Mandan

Mandan šų́t ‘tail’ RTC

Proto-Mississipi-Valley *sį́•te

Proto-Dakota *sįté

Lakota sįté RTC

Stoney sį́ta•luta ‘Red Tail’ PAS

Sioux Valley sįté PAS

Proto-Hoocąk-Chiwere *sį́•te

Chiwere θį́•ǰe ‘tail’ RR

Hoocąk sį́ič ‘tail’ , sįįc

Proto-Dhegiha *sį́•te

Omaha-Ponca sį́•de ‘tail’ RTC

Kanza/Kaw sį́ǰe ‘tail’ RR

Osage çiⁿ´dse , †sį́ce ‘tail’ LF:30b

Quapaw sį́tte ‘tail’ RR

Proto-Southeastern

Proto-Biloxi-Ofo *i-sį́ti

Biloxi síndi, sindiyaⁿ, siⁿ, siⁿt, isínti, sĭnt , †isį́ti ‘tail’ D&S:255b

Ofo fxiⁿ´te, fxiⁿ´ti, fhiⁿ´tĕ , †fhį́ti/e ‘tail’ D&S:323b

General comment

Mandan rounding is unexplained, but this is not the only example of such rounding. Mandan rounding occurs before a labial in ‘copulate (1)’, ‘clumsy’, and ‘soup’ (this last supported by a round vowel in Hidatsa). Mandan rounding occurs before non-labials in this word as well as ‘hand’ and ‘five (1)’ (the last again supported by a round vowel in Hidatsa). ‘lay’ suggests that there may have been some rounding variation already in Proto-Siouan. The accentual and vowel length pattern here is best explained in terms of a prefix of inherent possession, even though such prefixes are normally found with parts of the human body (and kin terms). Chiwere and Hoocąk have a related form *šį́•te ‘whole bottom, rump, rear end (all animals, birds, etc.)’ (JDH). It is fairly common for fricative symbolism to relate groups of nouns in this fashion. Stoney may have a reflex of š, as otherwise θ would be expected.

Other languages

  • Choctaw sínti ‘snake’ By-323 from Proto Muskogean *cintiXo; probably an accidental look-alike. RR
Language Cognate Phonetic Siouan Meaning Comment Sources