Calques

[Anthony Grant]

Regarding money, white metal etc., Nancy Hickerson pointed out in IJAL in
1985 that the word for money in Kiowa was actually a version of Fr.
'argent'- olho, wioth both o's open and a tonemarking that I don't remember.
Silver would have been more readily obtainable than gold for coinage/bullion
in the Plains, I guess, if only because of its lower intrinsic cost.
Silver equalling money is a calque found in languageas from Welsh to
Armenian to Malay.  And Spanish 'plata', 'silver'  being used colloquially
for money, may also have helped.

Anthony
----- Original Message -----
From: Koontz John E <John.Koontz at colorado.edu>
To: Siouan List <siouan at lists.colorado.edu>
Sent: Sunday, July 28, 2002 4:17 AM
Subject: Calques


> Thinking about xube in the sense of 'drunk' brought smething else to mind.
>
> I've always wondered if the widespread 'fire water' formation [OP
> ppe(e)'deni] might not originate in a calque of French eau ardent [is this
> right?].  English tends to use the Gaelic loan whiskey, though 'ardent
> spirits' is possible.
>
> I also wonder about 'money' = 'white metal' [OP maN(aN)'zeska], cf.
> French argent.
>
> John E. Koontz
> http://spot.colorado.edu/~koontz
>