Nishnabotna etym.

[Tom Leonard]

I believe this is ni-$nabe toN(g)a - or  "Big Dirty River", perhaps the name
of a specific river or creek.

TML

> John and I puzzled over this one when we were trying to etymologize Lewis
> and Clark names for Moulton.  It could be Algonquian, since nishnabe or
> something very close to it is 'man'.  It also looks like Omaha /ni $nabe/
> roughly 'dirty water'.  The problem is the -otna in both instances.  Maybe
> Jimm can enlighten us on whether "canoe making river" is a reasonable Otoe
> etymology.  Shnabotna doesn't look like 'canoe making' to me though.
>
> Bob
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Alan H. Hartley [mailto:ahartley at d.umn.edu]
> Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2003 3:56 PM
> To: Siouan
> Subject: Nishnabotna etym.
>
>
> Can anyone tell me the meaning of the river-name written by William
> Clark in 1804 as Neesh-nah-ba-to-na? Clark identifies it as Omaha, but
> Gary Moulton, in his end-note, says "According to Thomas Say [it] is an
> Oto Indian name signifying 'canoe making river'."
>
> Thanks,
>
> Alan