Colorado typonyms.

[Koontz John E]

On Wed, 12 Jul 2006, Carolyn Quintero wrote:
> JK: However, most Siouan languages do have a word for 'queen' in the
> sense of the queen ina deckof cards.  The Osage expression per LaFlesche
> is z^e'ga z^iNga 'little leg(s)' which he explains as referring to the
> old style image of the queen ...

I haven't found the OP term, so I can't tell if this is an OP-ism.

> CQ: I have OS 'queen of spades' as máaNhisi (or máahisu) wak'ó ks^e, [spade
> woman LYING] [LF,RB,FH].
> For 'queen' alone, just wak'ó.

Referring to the face card?

> For 'female chief': wak'ó kahike [<LF, PM]

Along the same lines, Swetland gives mi gahi 'female leader'.  But I'm not
sure if the concept applies except to translate European conceptions.

> CQ: Certainly ska 'white' is valid in Osage, but the 'clear' meaning should
> not be discarded easily.  I guess it would depend on the water; was it
> whitish? or was it clear?

I would guess clear.  I didn't mean to reject the reading clear.

> CQ: nii sape 'black water' would be the Osage form (sape 'black', not *sapa
> 'black').

Oops.  My error.  OP sabe, etc.
>
> CQ:  I think in Osage, both nii 'water' and laaNdhe 'big' have long vowels.
> Also 'stand': naaNziN (with long a-nasal)

Sorry - I'm not being consistant about long vowels yet.

> So, employing the awkward "NetSiouan" transcription for ASCII mail that
> I am still using, I make the names:

NeeGronda = niNiN graNaNdhe (newer pronunciation niNiN laNaNdhe)
  'big water'  (c = ts; VN = nasalized vowel V; dh = English th in that)
NeeSopah = niNiN saape 'black water'
   (z^ = z-hacek = the z of azure)
NeeNoshe = niNiN naNaNz^iN 'standing water'
NeeSkah = niNiN skaa 'clear water'

niNiN might be better as 'lake' than as 'water'