Sky and clouds

[Richard C. Lundy]

"Richard C. Lundy" wrote:

> Greetings All!
>
> I continue to enjoy reading these materials generated by your interest in our Native
> languages.  Hello to Shannon West in Canada.  I hope all is well for you and your
> work.  In response to the question re: clear sky or not cloudy,  I can tell you how
> I've learned it in actual on the rez Lakota.  We say "amaHpiya Sni".  Note that the
> "H" is the so called guttural "H" often written as an "x".  The "S" is as "sh" in
> English.  Once again I apologize for my lack of linguistic symbolism and training.
> Also,  one can say "maSte"  (again with the S=sh)  which means "it's a sunny day" or
> the Santees will say "kasota"  referring to a clear, cloudless day.  In Lakota we
> also will say "kaska iyaye"  re: it has cleared up.  These don't directly or
> literally say "it is cloudless".  That would be "amaHpiya Sni".
>
> Bruce Ingham wrote:
>
> > Dear Siouanists
> > Something has been at the back of my mind for years.  In Lakota the word
> >  given in dictionaries and elsewhere for 'sky', 'cloud' and 'heaven' is mah^piya.
> > Sometimes also in Lakota prayers the equivalent for 'heaven' or 'sky' is
> > waNkatuya or WaNkal  literally 'up there, high up'.  Therefore I wonder
> > how to say such a thing as 'there are no clouds in the sky' .  There is a verb
> >   kaska iyaya 'to clear (of clouds in the sky)' and one sees sentences
> >  like, I think,  mah^piya ska wan woslal he 'a white cloud stood vertically
> >  (in front of them)'.  Any ideas.  Is this the same in other Siouan languages.
> >
> > Bruce
> >
> >
> > Dr. Bruce Ingham
> > Reader in Arabic Linguistic Studies
> > SOAS