oak

[Michael Mccafferty]

John Koontz wrote:

 "The Dakota substitution of osku'ya 'sour' in the name of this tree is
interesting.B  Sku'ya is 'sweet', cf. OP ski'dhe 'sweet', niNski'dhe
'salty'.B  LaFlesche lists an Osage term hta(a)s^ka' sku'(dh)e hi 'sweet
acorn tree; white oak'.B  It looks like the Dakota form may be abbreviated
from something like this."

I don't know if this relates but it may be useful to point out that the
white oak produces sweet, edible acorns, while the black (and related red)
oak produces really nasty-tasting fruit filled with tannin.

Michael