Plural Marking (was Re: Ablaut ...)

[voorhis at westman.wave.ca]

Koontz John E wrote:
> It appears that Winnebago may use ne (phonologically odd, too) as
> an independent pronominal of both the first and second persons (Lipkind,
> p.  29).  Actually, it is usually accompanied by an enclitic with a sense
> like 'only', and proclitic to a form that that does distinguish person,
> but the use of a cover form seems unusual.

Winnebago not only uses /nee/ in addition to either first or second
person affixes to express emphasis or contrast, but with third person
forms, /ee/ is used for the same purpose.  Historians, is the latter
another example of the demonstrative *e, implicated in the development
of Siouan ablaut, and surviving in Winnebago as an independent word
without affixes?

Paul