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[Shannon West]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Richard C. Lundy [mailto:rlundy at huntel.net]
> Sent: October 16, 2001 6:27 AM
>
> Ms. West,
> You might remember me from last year re: some Lakota
> translations.

I sure do.  Your help was invaluable.  Ake, pilamayaye.

  How's your
> work coming?

Slowly, but surely.  You know any Assiniboine's that wanna talk?  <grin>

 I just wanted to pass along some of that
> informal perspective often
> only available from Native speakers.  I was recently speaking
> with a close
> Sicagu friend from the Rosebud Reservation. He is a fluent
> Lakota (his 1st
> language) speaker. He had recently had conversation with a
> man who is identified
> as "Stoney Sioux" known to be Nakota. My friend referred to
> the Nakota speaker's
> sound as not so much "N" as such but more "J" sounding. It
> was reportedly
> difficult (not impossible) to hold a mutually intelligible
> conversation. He
> heard "Jina waste." rather than the expected "Nina waste."
> sound. (lacking your
> linguistic terminology; a soft or even aspirated "J"). I'm
> curious (as a Lakota
> speaker/instructor familiar also with the "D" of the Santee)
> what feedback you
> might be willing to share re: this observation.

Oh, that's very interesting.  I've never heard Stoney (though I'd love to at
some point), so I can't comment too much on that.  I do know that Stoney
seems to be quite different than the rest of the Dakotan languages, likely
split first from the others (right Bob?).  I work on Assiniboine.

As for phonetic drift, it doesn't surprise me, but for any evaluation that
makes sense, you'll have to ask one of the phonology experts.  :)

Shannon.