"bow"

[Rankin, Robert L]

> It is, of course, the me?tekw- stem that I was suggesting might be from a
hypothetical PS *maNaNt(e)=ko 'his bow', thus explaining the
Proto-Mississippi Valley Siouan alternation of forms like *maNaNte and
*maNaNt(-)ku- for 'bow'.  Alternatively, perhaps some of the MV Siouan
dialects simply deleted Algonquian -ku on the false assumption that it was
=ko.  However, some of the dialects where this happens (Dhegiha) lack
synchronic traces of =ko 'his/hers'.  Dakotan does have it.

Bows date from A.D. 400-600 in the archaeological record so aren't PS or PMVS either.  I assume Ioway-Otoe-Missouri-Winnebago *maNtku in its various modern forms (mahdu, maNcgu, etc.) are from Menomini or some similar Algonquian dialect.  I am writing without benefit of a dictionary, but my recollection is that Menomini has something like matkuap or metkuap (David or Michael can correct my vowels here).  With the usual Siouan "chop off everything past the second syllable" rule applied, it comes out right and the geography is also correct.

The difference between 'bow' in Menomini and in Illinois is that Menomini has the -tk- cluster that preserves the -ku- as part of the second syllable of the word.  In Illinois the -ko is the third syllable which is where Siouan speakers tended to lose patience.  

Bob