Archaic A1 p- in Dakotan.

[Robert L. Rankin]

> > 1sg	hi-b-u
> > 2sg	hi-l-u
> > 3sg	hi(y)u (where -y- is just an epenthetic glide)
> > 1du  u~-hi(y)u
> >
> > There are alternative forms wa-hi-b-u, ya-hi-l-u, etc.

> Given the usual pattern of serial motion verbs in Dhegiha, I'm inclined
> to wonder if the middle variant (cf. wa-hi-b-lu) isn't the most
> conservative,

[lu] is the 2nd person form; there isn't a form wahiblu, just wahibu,
yahilu...  I agree both verbs might well be conjugated, but then I'd
expect conservative 1sg *phibu, 2sg *$ilu and god knows what in the
inclusive given its idiosyncracies.  I'd say that ANY verb beginning with
*r, *h, *?, *w, *p, *t, *k that is conjugated with wa-, ya- has undergone
analogical change.

> I think b here qualifies as a Da reflex of *W a/k/a "funny *w."
> Although I expect the b in Santee and m or even w in Teton.

Most of our "funny W's" (e.g. in 'snow') come historically from a
secondary sequence of w-w.  So in 'snow' the wa- prefix with the wa root
gives w-wa > Wa.  John may be right that *w-? also gives W-, which would
be Dakota b ~ m (the latter before nasal vowels).  It's surprising, given
the 'snow' word in other languages, that Dakota 'snow' isn't [ba].  It's
just [wa], isn't it?

Bob