Meaning of Hethushka...Another consideration.

[Koontz John E]

On Thu, 9 Sep 2004, Jonathan Holmes wrote:
> I wanted to comment on some information I found that may be of interest,
> to consider as a related connection between oral tradition, literal
> translation, and implied meaning to explain "Hethushka."

> (note: In "The Omaha Tribe", 1911, Page 182, there is a photo (Figure
> 40), of an Omaha man named "Hethi'kuwinxe", wearing his hair with an
> upturned scalplock "horn" at the base of his hair

Note that this name (as stated in the context) means

he   thi-    kuwiNghe
horn by hand twisted around

> Lastly, I do not profess to know that much about the Dhegiha dialect,
> but I found the name of an Omaha person on page 174, of the same book,
> "The Omaha Tribe" by Fletcher & LaFlesche, 1911. The name is
> "U'shkadazhi", translated as "Dauntless or Rushing Into Battle Without
> Hesitation". (note: According to the Oklahoma State Historical Society,
> on 20 October 1880, when Agent A.R. Satterwhite filed a report for the
> Ponca Agency, "Rush Into Battle" was listed as one of the Ponca leaders
> or sub-chiefs at that time.)
>  I know "u" is translated as "in", but I don't know enough to sub-divide
> the rest of the name. Could there be a similar translation relationship
> from the "u'shka" in the beginning of this name and the "thushka"
> segment in "hethu'shka"? Just wondering. Any thoughts...comments?

I'd render this name

u- s^kada=  z^i     (ushkadazhi)
in he plays not

In the texts 'play' always seems to mean about what it means in English,
though I think the name Is^kada=bi is explained as something like 'adroit
at sleight of hand' (referred to as 'juggling'), either in Dorsey's work
or Fletcher & LaFlesche.

I suppose this name could be literally 'not playing around' with Fletcher
& LaFlesche's explanation being a development of that, or, rather, an
explanation of the sense in which 'not playing around' is meant'.

Anyway, though the final -shka of herhushka is associated with shkade in
several folk etymologies of hedhushka, I don't think this names helps put
those explanations on a sounder footing.