Algonquian made harder (was: Quapaw designation)

[David Costa]

I would agree. Despite its name, "What Algonquian is Really Like" is a
terrible place to start as anyone's introduction to Algonquian studies.
Hockett's Potawatomi articles in IJAL are important but quite terse and very
abstract phonologically, as well as hindered by the strange ideas of the
time about what was important to put in a grammar and what was not
important. They're not really very usable to anyone except people who
already know a lot about Potawatomi or Ojibwe.

As a *real* introduction to Algonquian grammar for a first-timer, I would
wholeheartedly recommend Christopher Wolfart's Plains Cree sketch in volume
17 of the handbook.

Dave Costa


>>Well, explaining Algonquian was not Hockett's forte.
>
> "What Alg. is really like" was an a bit idiosyncratic attempt at a reply to
> a series of Pike/Ericson articles (which appeared somewhat earlier in
> IJAL), but basically, to borrow from Navajo, it was "Algonquian made
> easier", as a lot of complicating features were left out. So, e.g. reading
> his Potawatomi grammar (which likewise had appeared in IJAL) is "Algonquian
> made harder" and clarifying at the same time.
>
> Best,
>
> Heike
>