old, Ancient of - (Suffix)

suffix time

Proto-Siouan-Catawba

Proto-Siouan

Proto-Mississipi-Valley *-ną

Proto-Dakota

Stoney įsʔaguwį́na ‘old man’ PAS

Proto-Dhegiha

Quapaw waxʔóną ‘old woman’ SRR

Proto-Southeastern

Proto-Biloxi-Ofo

Biloxi skákana ‘Ancient of Possums’ D&S:230b

General comment

This is probably a contraction of (or root from) *rą- old, mature. Apparently always unstressed, -ną would represent a grammaticalization whatever its source.

Language Cognate Phonetic Siouan Meaning Comment Sources