Reconstruction:Proto-Algonquian/wetempi
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Proto-Algonquian
[edit]Alternative forms
[edit]Etymology
[edit]From Proto-Algic *wetempe. The term either contains or was re-analysed in some descendant languages as containing the initial possessive prefix *we- (“her, his, its”) (Proto-Algic *weʔ-), which was removed in some descendant languages before other possessive prefixes were added. (In contrast, Wiyot added prefixes onto the full root word: Proto-Algic *wetempe → Wiyot duʔwɨ́tbɨt (“her head”).)
Noun
[edit]*wetempi
- (her, his, its) head, (animal's) brain
Descendants
[edit]- descendants of this form and the medial *-ntep-:
- Abenaki: wetep, metep (“its head”)
- Cheyenne: hestàhpe, hehtáhpe (“brain”) (from *wetempi with pitch compensating for the lost nasal)
- Cree: wihtihp / ᐃᐧᐦᑎᐦᑊ (iyhtihp, “brain”)
- Atikamekw: wiritip (“brain”)
- Fox: nîn-êtepi (“my brain”)
- Miami: antepi (“his brain”) (from *-ntep-)
- Ojibwe: niin-indib (“my brain”)
References
[edit]- Ives Goddard, Pre-Cheyenne *y, in In Honor of Mary Haas: From the Haas Festival Conference, page 352