Dakota Dialects

[Louis Garcia]

Members:
Please allow me to put my two cents in on this subject.

I live here on the Spirit Lake Dakota Reservation (formerly called Devils
Lake). I have been here about 38 years.
When I called the residents Santee they bit my head off.
They were Sisseton - Wahpeton and Yanktonai.

Later I discovered the political split. Santee treaty of 1851, and the
Sisseton - Wahpeton treaty of 1851 (Traverse des Sioux).
Two separate treaties.

I think where Jim Howard got the Nakota idea is that the speakers here use
"Na" on the ends of their words instead of the expected "Dan".

The speakers further explained that the "na" ending does not always mean a
something small.
I use the term "familiarity" as I am not a linguist.
Example: Sungtokcana (wolf) meaning you know that wolf that has been hanging
around. I am not talking about a new wolf.
Toksta ake,
Louie