Oral ~ Nasal Correspondences

[RLR]

The 'bear' and 'acorn' words seem just to be distinct words for very
different things that accidently sound a little bit alike. The acorn
word seems to be found throughout the Siouan language family in one form
or another.

The bear word however appears to be a borrowing from Uto-Aztecan, where
similar forms are found throughout that family. Jane Hill told me a few
months ago when we were discussing this, that the proto-form in U-A is
*hun. There is an additional syllable in most U-A languages and a number
of the languages have forms that are very much like the irregularly
corresponding Siouan words for the animal. I can't regard my analysis
here as totally definitive, but this is the way things look to me.

> There are a few sets that are nasal in some languages and oral in others.
> The main instance that I recall is *hapa ~ haNpa 'ear of corn'.  This is
> actually one reason for supposing that the set might be a loan.  In
> Muskogean nasality is used to mark one of the verb aspects.

Yes, the continuative aspect.

> However, the
> real reason for thinking of Muskogean in connection with this set is the
> existence of a verb habali 'to form tassels (of corn plants)' in Choctaw.
> I believe, however, that this form may be restricted to
> Choctaw(-Chickasaw) in Muskogean.

I don't know if anyone has ever checked Alabama and Koasati, etc. Guess
I should.


Bob