another Siouan question

[shokooh Ingham]

My impression with the -ichi- versus -kichi- is that when reciprocal the ichi- occurs with inanimates and that the kichi- usually with animates.  Is that the case with your examples Jan?  This looks a little bit as though we have a verb class division rather as in Cree  and perhaps other Algonquian languages, where verb types, but not necessarily stems, are specialized for animate or inanimate subject (maybe agent).  This would mean that basically ichi- is inanimate reciprocal as in ichihkoyaka 'be linked to each other' ichipawega 'cross over each other', ichicawinga 'go back on the previous one (of paths)' , but if you have an animate agent, the reciprocity is born by the objects (patients?) as in ichiwanyanka 'compare, see one in relation to another', ichipasisa 'pin one to the other' etc.  Similarly icihipasisa could mean 'be pinned to each other' if the subject was inanimate.
Bruce

Bruce

Jan Ullrich <jfu at centrum.cz> wrote:   Zpráva     
    
   (quoating    Regina)
   >>  iyeciNkyaNke ki    ichi-yaphapi  'the cars bumped    into each other, in an accident' 
   >>  a-kichi-phapi  'they hit each other' 
    
   >I would    argue that these don't represent a minimal pair. ichi-yaphapi comes from ichi    + >iyapha whicle akichiphapi originates in aphA and    kichi-.
    
   That's what I was trying to say, if you agree that kichi- is the    reciprocal marker here. 
    
   I am    not sure I follow, Can you explain?
    
   Jan


       
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