Word for 'prairie' in Hochunk.

[R. Rankin]

> It's interesting that the speakers that Henning was working with were able
> to recover most of the fairly obscure (to me) moo < maNaN + (h)o examples,
> apparently quite easily, even though I think some could fairly be
> characterized as lexicalized.

Yeah, I had never heard of any instance of HoChaNk losing vowel nasalization.
It's quite common, especially for /oN/ in Kaw.  But I suppose it makes sense
with the very common V1+V2 --> V2 Siouan phonological process.

Although the source of hooska 'clearing' deserves a little more study, the
analysis as 'white (spot) in it' makes pretty good sense.  I still have a
serious semantics problem with mooska then meaning 'plains, prairie' though.  It
would make sense if it meant 'clearing' or 'white spot of ground' or the like,
but it only really makes sense as 'plains, prairie' with Algonquian influence.
If we're not dealing with an outright loanword that has been folk etymologized,
I'm convinced we're dealing at least with what's called a "loan blend".  I think
it's Algonquian that is providing the extended semantics here.

Or maybe not.

Anyway, it's all part of the sport of linguistics.

Bob