Siouan positional verbs

[David Kaufman]

Hello everyone:

I'm writing my third Field Statement (Anthro precursors to a dissertation) on positional verbs in Biloxi and Siouan, and I'd thought I'd see if any of you had comments on a couple of things. (I realize Siouan languages vary considerably in how they use positional verb classifiers.)  (BTW--yes, I'll be doing my diss on Biloxi - I've switched my focus from Algonquian back to Siouan.)  

In Biloxi, positional verb classifiers are used, apparently as in other Siouan languages, to denote shape or position along vertical 'stand', horizontal 'lie-recline', or neutral 'sit' axes.  Some of these are obvious while others are not.  What I'm really curious about is their use in natural landscape objects, such as lake, river, land, field, etc.  I find it interesting that, in Omaha-Ponca, land (in general) 'sits' (neutral/unmarked) (maNzhaN dhaN) while a field 'lies/reclines' (u'e dhe-khe).  Streams, rivers, bayous seem to 'lie/recline' (both Biloxi & OP), although a lake 'sits' in BI but 'lies' in OP.  In BI a forest also 'sits'.  I'm wondering then if the difference between this 'sit' and 'lie' might be one of boundedness - unbounded/non-delimited/invisible boundaries 'sit' (land [general]/forest/lake?) vs. visible boundaries/delimited 'lie/recline' (river/field/lake?).  While it seems intuitive to think of a river as flat/horizontal
 (which it is!), we can also see it as being bounded (you can usually see both banks of a river) and a field is usually partitioned off or small enough to see its limits.  (Koasati Muskogean also has towns, fields, rivers, as 'lying/reclining' - bounded?).  As for the lake 'sitting' in BI vs. 'lying' in OP, this may well be something that is language- or culture-specific depending on the size of particular lakes in a cultural/linguistic area.  Perhaps the Biloxis saw a large lake (the Gulf?) of which they could not see its edges or boundaries, while Omahas saw a smaller lake with well-defined boundaries.

The other curiosity is the use of positional verbs with body parts.  In BI, an aching body part 'stands' (e.g., my head stands = I have a headache).  A hand in OP always seems to 'stand' regardless of its actual position at any given time, but I don't know about other body parts and in what context these are used.

I hope this makes sense!  Any thoughts, examples, counter-examples anyone?

Dave



      
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