CHIWERE etymology

[Jimm G GoodTracks]

Alan Hartley:

As John says, Dorsey discussed "Ji'were" for the similar term in OP, and
mentioned of it for IOM.  Like John, I have Dorsey's  notation somewhere,
but haven't a clue as to where I can find it for an exact quote or
reference here.  And as he explained it's glossed meaning referrs to
"People of this place" or as I recall, somewhere given as "People from
here", which begins to approach something of a literal meaning.

A more exact rendition is "(we/I) go from here":    The term for "here"
is usually "igi/ jegi" or some derivation [See p.161, IOMDict].  "je/
jegi" signifies "here/ right here/ at" thus suggesting this place right
here.  Also, there is "jira'ra= here & there", however, it appears the
first that "ji-" is contracted from "j(eg)i".  John suggested another
possibility, indeed, that "ji" is the verb "to arrive here".  And while
IOM, as do other Siouian languages, use several motion verbs together,
this does not seem to be the case here.

"wa-" is a directional prefix indicating the action moves away from/ to a
third point.  There is another prefix "wa-", which is rendered as
"something" and may convert verbs to noun.  Each of these prefixes have
different positions in the verb complex.

"re" = "to go"; "ire'" = "to go across"; "hire'" = "go away/ depart/
leave/ arrive going"; "ware'" = "go from/ go towards"; "gawa're" = "go to
there"; "iwa're" = "go from here/ go to specified place".

Thus, "Je (here)" + "wa (from)" + "hire (arrive going)".  Note: "wa> we"
before "(h)i".  Contractions occur frequently in IOM.

This discussion confirms the my commitment to expand the First Edition
IOM Dictionary into the unabridged version that would address these kinds
of questions, with supporting examples and opportunity for comparitive
analysis.

As far as Dorsey's variations of the term, can wait on another dialog at
another time, perhaps when his Dhegiha reference is located.
Furthermore, I have no idea when the term began to be used by the OM
People.  Perhaps, John can give some idea as to when it became used by
linguists.  I imagine the People adopted it when the Missionaries
discouraged the use of their previous traditional designation.
Jimm GoodTracks


On Mon, 21 Feb 2000 12:05:22 -0600 "Alan H. Hartley" <ahartley at d.umn.edu>
writes:
>The Hdbk. Amer. Indians (1907, I. 287) gives the meaning of CHIWERE
>as
>'belonging to this place; the home people', presumably following
>Dorsey.
>Can anyone confirm that and/or amplify on it? And provide the
>earliest
>occurrence (? Dorsey c. 1880).
>
>Thanks,
>
>Alan
>
>