MANDAN

[Alan H. Hartley]

Thanks to John for the data from Hollow's dictionary (which I have as
yet not received through interlibrary loan). I'm spending far more time
on this etymology than I should, and chances are that after all the
work--and all the contributions from the Siouan list--I still won't have
a secure etym. But we'll certainly know more about the word and, I hope,
have enjoyed ourselves along the way.

I suppose it's possible that MANDAN represents Mandan MaNta '(Missouri)
River' (via an Assiniboine form) + a Fr. suffix -(a)n 'of, pertaining
to' (-ain/en in metropolitan French). All pretty speculative, as Bob
Rankin has cautioned.

Alan