augmentative/diminutive shifting

[Robert L. Rankin]

> Just how old is Siouan? Anyone have an idea what might therefore have led to
> innovative use of sound symbolism?

I think those of us interested in the time depth are generally working in
a framework of 3 to 4 K years.  The better-based glottochronological
studies are also in that ball park, if you feel that's a plus.  Loanword
studies are in the same ball park.  That's about as good as one can do at
present.

The kind of systematic fricative symbolism (which is NOT augment/dimin.
symbolism) found in Siouan is primarily a Mississippi Valley Siouan (MVS)
phenomenon that is much much less productive outside that subgroup.
Nonetheless, it is present to a degree.  Because of general lack of
cognacy outside of MVS, I tend to think it was poorly represented earlier
and became semi-productive in MVS.

Nevertheless, there are traces of the s/sh 'black/dark' pair in Yuchi,
which has both s/sh variants.  The farther back you go, the poorer the
attestation of the s/sh/x symbolism.

There is some additional evidence that there is a strong geographical
component in this.  Muskogean has a similar symbolism.  I did a paper on
it once upon a time.  I'm not in a position to reach my notes at the
moment, but there are numerous groups like:

fama
sama
shama
hama

with references to striking a blow at a time or ringing, etc.  The
interesting thing is that productivity is very good in Choctaw and
Chickasaw (in, yes, you guessed it) the Mississippi Valley.  But it grades
off to the East in Alabama and Koasati and is barely present in Creek
(Muskogee).  And, again, there is just no suggestion that the fricatives
that carry the symbolism are in any way old derivational prefixes.

Hope this helps.

Bob