Missouri

[Alan Hartley]

Rory M Larson wrote:

> Thanks to David, Bob and Alan for their replies on
> this, and to Michael for his original research!
>
> So the name Missouri comes from Illinois
> mihso:ri, which means 'big canoe'.

You're welcome, but check David's message again: he says the word comes
from 'wood', not 'big'. My thanks to David for setting me straight
there--and to the patient Siouanists during this Algonquian digression.

> Is there any independent reason to believe that the
> Missouria were once noted for their outstandingly
> big canoes?  If not, this label seems a little odd.

And recasting the question: as the Illinois had the word and thing
'canoe', why would they distinguish the Missourias as 'those who have
canoes'?

According to Carl Masthay's edition of an Illinois-French dictionary of
early 18c., the basic sense of the word miss8ri was 'dugout canoe'; a
bark canoe was called 8ic8es mis8ri. So neither does it appear that the
Missourias were distinguished for having dugouts rather than bark canoes.

Alan