butterfly

[Rory M Larson]

>> > >  Kansa ... /nikkaphe/ 'comb' ...
>> > And OP       /mikka'he/ 'comb'
>> > So here we have a case of PDh *ni => OP mi !
>>
>> Sharp eyes, Rory!  We'd have to check other
>> cases to be sure which way the
>> shift went.  Perhaps mi(N)- here is (or is
>> intended for) 'woman'.
>
> Segmentation is properly -ka-phe, where ka- may
> well be the instrumental.  Shown by Quapaw ikaphe
> 'comb', where i- is the "locative" (instrument)
> prefix.  As for the n(i)/m(i), your guess is as
> good as mine.

I'm seeing a problem with the Omaha.  I just checked
with Alberta Canby, and the verb 'to comb' seems
indeed to be /gahe'/, not /kkahe/.  That would agree
with Bob's instrumental prefix explanation for the
initial *ka-, but makes the shift to /kka-/ in the
/mikka'he/, 'comb' (n), a little problematical.
Perhaps this would require that the prefix ended in
/h/ or a stop?  Thus, PDh *m/nih-ka-phe or
*m/nik-ka-phe perhaps?

How about:

PDh *miN-i'-ki-ka'-phe
    'something used by a woman to comb herself'

 => *miik.ka'phe

 => OP mikka'he
    Ks nikka'phe

Would that work?

Rory