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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>As John Koontz pointed out, it is very
difficult it is to learn a language from/through songs. I tried for years (how I
got started in this) and I can safely say it doesn't work well at all. That song
is a real good example. In addition, there's lots of paraphrasing going on in
that recording (vs. word by word translation). Add vocables, vowel
lengthening and <FONT size=2>abbreviation</FONT>, song meter, etc., and you can
end up in a linguistic mess (imagine trying to learn English from songs on the
radio!).</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The very song you are referring to has been
translated by some other Ponca speakers. To be brief, I believe the word was/is
Pa'thiNge (pa - head / thiNge -none, translated as "no head" or "headless", also
"head takers"). Historically, Pa thiN'ge was the name of one of the original
four Hethuska groups on the Ponca reservation. Their dance grounds were located
just west of Bois D'Arc, near Giveswater.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>When I had asked about that song and that
particular word (from the very recording you are referring to) a few
informants said "they didn't sing that right; there is no such word".
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>On the other hand, to try and parse the word
"pa-tha-nike" is difficult. "Ni ke" can roughly be translated as "you are" (e.g.
udoN nike, you are good , or "aHta nike" you are the best). Pa can
translated as 'head' or 'nose'. But I've never been able to find anything on
"pa'tha", or the morpheme "tha" that would make any sense within the
phrase.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>"Pa thiN'ge" makes sense historically and
culturally. As to whether "they sang it right" or not or if that's the exact
word........that's one of those sacred cow controversies from which I'd prefer
to stay clear.</FONT></DIV>
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