IATAN/ IOTAN

[Alan H. Hartley]

Jimm GoodTracks wrote:

> My question is the source of the "Iatan/ Iotan"  term.

I have many examples of this name in a great variety of spellings, and
I've been frustrated in trying to etymologize it. Most of the examples
come from the first half if the 19th century, but I've found a few from
the late 18c, e.g., Spanish Laytanes (1785), and French les hahitannes
(1796), with hypothetical singular *l'hahitanne. These lead me to
suspect that the original name had initial l- which was sometimes lost
as though it were the French definite article:

Laytan > l'hahitanne > Iatan (and varr.)

If that's true, we could at least narrow the etymon down to a
(presumably) Plains language with [l]: ideas anyone?

Sorry not to be of more help.

Alan