Complementation of i'e

[Rory M Larson]

John wrote:
> I looked, but couldn't find any examples of 'speak (a language)' in the
> texts.  In fact, I could find any examples of i'e with a complement.  The
> sense of 'speak' with a complement seems to use ukkie or some derivative
> thereof, e.g., aNg-u-dhi-kkie 'we speak to you'.  Unfortunately the texts
> only go so far as a source of examples.

Well, how about sentences using ie without a complement then?
Certainly i'e thE as a noun meaning 'speech' or 'word' ought
to be common enough, but I'm having trouble thinking of how you
would use ie as a verb except with implied or actual language or
speech complement.  Perhaps {ia' ga!}-- Speak!  Orate!  ?
In class, I'm pretty sure we have been using UmoN'hoN ie
from the beginning for 'Omaha language', and I don't recall
the speakers ever objecting.  (We have a vested interest here,
as Mark will have to re-write his dissertation
if we can't use ie with UmoN'hoN as a complement!)

I would understand u-kki-e as 'in-RECIPROCAL-say', or
'say things to each other', 'converse', 'talk to someone'.
This can also be translated as 'speak' in English, but the
emphasis here is on saying things to somebody, or a dialogue.
The word ie seems to be i-e, 'INST-say', 'to say by means of
(some protocol)'.  In this case, the emphasis is on the tools
of speech, i.e. the words or the language.  This conception
in turn might extend to cover 'monologue' or 'oration', and
hence 'speak' in that sense of the English word.

Rory