etymology of MANDAN

[Robert L. Rankin]

> The real problem here is not the *wiri 'water' vs. *wira 'wood', though that's a serious enough issue.

For willows, fertile ground for folk reanalysis--which probably
occurred in one or the other language.  The rest could result
from the reanalysis of the original wiri/a.

I can't offer a critique of John's MVS contribution except to
agree that it's a possible analysis.   It's farther from any kind
of really solid etymologizing than I like to stray.  If this is
as good as we can do, then we have some really interesting
intellectual stimulation, but not much publishable.

Why not ask Crow and Hidatsa speakers what Willow "means" in
their language and at least sort out the folk etymologies?

Bob