butterfly

[Henning Garvin]

I believe my email messed up this post the first time I sent it.  If not,
sorry for the repeat.

No, this has nothing to do with the Volkswagen Grant:)

I was recently asked an interesting question.  THe Hocank word for butterfly
is :

miNmiNke

I was told the Menominee word for butterfly is exactly the same.  I was
asked if this is a good example of a borrowing.  Given the close proximity
and relations the Hocank had with the Menominee, I would hazard a guess that
it is indeed a borrowing.  But they also asked from which direction the
borrowing would have occured.  So what are the other Siouan, or Alguonquian
if you know, words for butterfly.  I know the Ojibwe word is:

memengwaa

The words are similar enough that I am leaning toward the Alguonquian side
for origin, but I wanted more input before I could answer this question.
THanks


Henning Garvin
Linguistic research
Ho-Chunk Nation Language Division

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