Siouan Lang. Research

[SHEA KATHLEEN DORETTE]

Dear Keith Biddle:

I'm curious to know how you happened to write to me about this subject,
but I'll be happy to give what few leads I can give you.  You should know
that I am a linguistics graduate student studying the Ponca language and
am not an anthropologist or historian.  The Siouan language family falls
roughly into three branches:  the Mississipi Valley, the Missouri Valley,
and the Southeastern.  I think the general consensus among linguists and,
I suppose, anthropologists is that the original "homeland" of the Siouan
peoples was in the woodlands, somewhere around the Great Lakes.

If you don't mind, I think I will send a copy of your inuiry, along with
my reply, to the Siouan list, maintained at the University of Colorado,
and throw this question open to the larger Siouanist community, who will
probably be better able to answer it than I can.  I'll also forward you
some instructions on signing up for the Siouan list, in case you're
interested.  Good luck on your research!

Best wishes,

Kathy Shea

On Tue, 25 Jan 2000, Igor wrote:

> Hello there. My name is Keith Biddle and I am an undergrad from Missouri
> who is trying, and failing, to put together a respectable work dealing
> with the migrations  and possible origins of the Siouan Language Family.
> I am not having as much luck as I had anticipated. If yo u have the time
> and/or inclination, please write me back. Thank you.
>