Usage of w/m in Tutelo pronouns

[David Kaufman]

> John Koontz and Bob Rankin several years ago pointed out to me the w/m 
alternation in Hidatsa >
   
  Just for the record, I've found one example (so far only one) of a similar alternation in Biloxi: mahe and wahe, both meaning 'cry out' or 'howl like a wolf.'
   
  Dave

"Alan H. Hartley" <ahartley at d.umn.edu> wrote:
  Bob Rankin wrote:

> I believe that in her analysis she felt that the sounds [m] and [w]
> were treated as the same sound by Tutelo/Saponi speakers.

Cf. two of Meriwether Lewis's records of Sacagawea's (Hidatsa) name, 
Sah-cah-gar-we-ah and Sah-ca-gar me-ah (both with silent -r- indicating 
a "broad" pronunciation of the preceding -a-).

John Koontz and Bob Rankin several years ago pointed out to me the w/m 
alternation in Hidatsa, and Wes Jones explained that "the alternation of 
w/m (and r/n) is not really free. The nasal forms appear after pause, 
i.e. word initially in very careful speech and in syllabification."

Alan


 		
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