argument structure k'u etc.

["Alfred W. Tüting"]

> (1)        w-o-'uN-k'u-pi    'they fed us (gave us things)'
   (2)        w-o-'uN-ni-c'u-pi-kte  'we'll give you food (=things)'
   (3)        w-o-wicha-k'u-pi   'they gave them food (=things)'


I have been under the assumtion that wo in these compounds is
a contraction of wo'yute 'food'
(wo'yute k?u' -> wo'k?u). <<


I'd tend to assume that _wo-_ is a locative contraction of _wa-o-_
giving the "picture" of "giving smth. in (the mouth)" i.e. food, hence
"to feed" (e.g. little kids, cubs etc.).
With regard to _woyute_, I'd rather expected _wol-_ for truncation.
BTW, Buechel doesn't seem to list _wok'u_, but Ingham does - and
additionally has _iognakiya_ (i-ogna-ki-ya), the fully elaborated form:
"to put (food) in the mouth of" -> to feed, what might parallel the idea
behind _wok'u_.


Alfred