School: ttappuska

[Rory M Larson]

Hi all,

I've been looking at the Omaha term ttappuska, presently meaning 'school', 
but apparently meaning 'schoolteacher' in the 19th century.  It also 
appears in Osage, in both the La Flesche dictionary and in Carolyn 
Quintero's recent "Osage Dictionary", where it is listed as taapo'ska.  I 
think is nicely analyzable in Dhegiha, but Carolyn's entry has the 
bracketted note:

  [Borrowed from Pawnee taapuska 'school' (Douglas Parks).
   The Pawnee word may have entered Osage at different times
   in different forms, with or without preaspiration of the
   stops (h)t and (h)p and with a long or short vowel aa
   or a; it is losing or has lost the preaspiration in 
   (h)t and (h)p.]

This claims that the term is actually a loan from Pawnee.  I'm wondering 
if Douglas Parks is on the list, or if anyone knows how to get in touch 
with him, or if anyone else on the list knows Pawnee well enough to 
comment?  Is the word analyzable in Pawnee, and if so, what is the 
meaning?

Also, I'd like to know how widespread the term is.  Does it exist in Kaw? 
Iowa-Oto?  Ponka?  Any other language?

Thanks for any advice!

Rory
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