Question re: Dhegiha and other Siouan quotatives

[David Kaufman]

Hi all,

I have a question re: a curious structure in Kaw, and whether anything like
it occurs in other Dhegihan or even non-Dhegihan Siouan languages.  The
structure involves the articles akhá and abá, used for subjects in Kaw and
usually translated 'the', the first being roughly for 'standing/sitting'
and the other for 'moving/absent'.  However, in Kaw, these subject articles
also somehow seem to have become used as quotatives, or 's/he said.'  Here
is an example sentence with gloss:

*Icíkitanga  abá, "Anyáxtaga-édan," ába-dan,  nanstábe.*

Old.Man   said   bite.me-then          said-then   kicked.him

The Old Man said, "Then bite me," and he kicked him.


So abá, which is normally used for 'moving' subjects and is usually
translated 'the', is now being used for 's/he said.'


Any thoughts on this, esp. from other Dhegihan perspectives, or other
Siouan languages that might have some similar usage?


Thanks!


David Kaufman
Linguistic Anthropology PhD candidate, University of Kansas
Director, Kaw Nation Language Program
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