LOOKING AT SOMETHING

[Rankin, Robert L]

> This might be a good place to recall the OP interjection (h)iNda(kHe)
'let's see' which looks to me flat out like a borrowing of IO hiN-a-da 'we
see it' (not sure of the surface form) plus the IO male declarative kHe.
A bit like saying 'voi-la' in English, but the acrolect or whatever it
would be is IO instead of French.

The syllable /hiN-/ is the basis for interjections all across Siouan and extending down into the SE (e.g. Haas's Tunica).  I can't rule out a 'we' meaning in the Omaha term, but I'm not sure it's necessary.  

>>From the CSD:

PSi  *hiN               'interjection'

CR     i*                'um...'

LA    hìN                'whoops, interjection of disappointment'

      hiná             'woman's interj.of surprise'

      hinúu           '    "           "     "  happiness'

      hiNyaNka          'wait! hold on, imperative'

       ìNska            'um...'

CH     hìN-               'we see...'

OP     hìNda             'let's see...'

KS     hiNe               'question marker'

OS     hiNta              'let me...'

BI      iNda              'well!'

TU    ehiN                 'now...hortative'

 

Cf. also Tunica hínto, híntu 'come on!!'  "Not a Tunica word" in Haas-215.  Note also that in this set only t he[hìN] morph usually matches across subgroups.  Dhegiha dialects look they have a PDH *-ta which compounds with hiN, but the Biloxi look-alike cannot be made cognate easily, as BI d does not match DH *t.  BI d comes from PSi *r and would actually be a better match for LA -ná.