Same word, different meanings

[Tom Leonard]

I agree with Kathy's findings 100%. The Ponca word for 'boy' is definitely
"nu'z^iNga" (man-little).
Perhaps Jonathan derived "noNzhiN" from a Ponca song (?). Sometimes in Ponca
songs  "nu'z^iNga" can sound like "noNzhiN". In Ponca songs you often hear
"nu'z^iNga" (young man) or "s^e nu'zhiNga" (that young man) or "s^e
nu'zhiNga ama"(those young men-often referring to veterans). You can also
hear "naNzhiN" (to stand or get up) or "naNzhiN ga" (stand up!). In Ponca
songs sometimes that "ga" changes to "ge" depending upon the song. "naNzhiN"
can also drift over to "nozhiN" or "noNzhiN", as well.