fish

noun animal_fish

Proto-Siouan-Catawba

Proto-Siouan *wi-hó•

Proto-Crow-Hidatsa *wúa < *wúha < *waho (?)

Crow buá RG, GG:34, RGG:2

Hidatsa wúa ‘fish’ J , múa

Pre-Mandan

Mandan póʔ ‘fish’ RTC

Proto-Mississipi-Valley *hó

Proto-Dakota *ho-

Lakota ho- ‘fish’ RTC , hoɣą́ ‘catfish’ RTC , howásapa ‘to fish’ RTC , hokhúwa

Sioux Valley hoɣą́ PAS

Proto-Hoocąk-Chiwere *hó

Chiwere hó ‘fish’ RTC

Hoocąk hóo ‘fish’ KM:1429 , hoo ‘minnow’ KM:1438 , hooɣą́ , hooǧą

Proto-Dhegiha *hó

Omaha-Ponca huhú ‘fish’ RTC

Kanza/Kaw hó RR

Osage hó LF:63a

Quapaw hó RR

Proto-Southeastern *wihó•(-ri)

Proto-Biloxi-Ofo *hó(-ri)

Biloxi ó, odi D&S:239b

Ofo ho D&S:323b

Proto-Tutelo-Saponi

Tutelo wihoi H , wihó̄q gupsuá , †wihó•- ‘fishy smell’ [raised o?] HW

Saponi o- ‘fish’ Byrd

General comment

The sole evidence for the Proto-Siouan initial vowel is from Tutelo, which suggests i. Cf. ‘bison’, ‘dog’ and other animates. Mandan initial p is a reflex of Proto-Siouan initial *w after initial syllable vowel syncope and a presumed intermediate stage with p-h. Proto-Crow-Hidatsa may be cognate, though just how is not clear. The postulated developments represent the reverse of rightward vowel exchange. Other speculations are, of course, possible.

Language Cognate Phonetic Siouan Meaning Comment Sources