tree tree

[Alan Hartley]

David Costa wrote:

> My favorite oddball tree name in Miami-Illinois would have to be
> /mihtekami$i/, which is the generic word for 'oak'. Those of you who've been
> reading these emails closely might have already noticed that this word
> literally means 'tree tree': /mihtek(w)-/ is the M-I reflex of the PA word
> for 'tree', and /-(e)mi$i/ is that 'tree' final again. (Only Fox/Kickapoo
> has a cognate: Fox /mehtekomi$i/ 'white oak'.)

There's also Ojibway mittikomi^z 'oak'.

Alan H.