Reconstruction:Proto-Algonquian/-θeni

This Proto-Algonquian entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Algonquian

Alternative forms

• *-ɬeni (alternative orthography)
• *-seni (alternate initial consonant)
• *-θenya (*-ɬenya (alternative orthography)); *-senya
• (with possessive prefixes:) *meθeni (*meɬeni), *neθenya (*neɬenya)

Etymology

From Proto-Algic *-sene, like Wiyot weser, wesen (“woman's breast”) (with the definite third-person prefix), básad (“breasts”) (/ˈbəsəd/, with the indefinite third-person prefix). As in Wiyot, this term was always possessed, e.g. as meθeni (with the third-person prefix *me-).

Noun

*-θeni

1. breast; nipple

Synonyms

• *-no·na·kan- (“breast”)

Derived terms

• *meθenepi (meɬenepi) (“milk”, literally “breast-water”), whence Arapaho beθéneč (“milk”), Cheyenne matana (“milk”)

Descendants

• Plains Algonquian:
  • Arapaho: beten, béθen(i), baθani (“woman's breast”) (from meɬeni)
  • Cheyenne: matana (“breast”) (from meɬeni)
• Central Algonquian:
  • Naskapi: (u)tiniiy (“(her or his) breast”) (from weɬeni)
  • Shawnee: (ni)lenya (“(my) nipple, (my) breast”) (from neɬeni)

See also

• *no·nle·wa (“she breastfeeds him or her”)

References

• Proulx (1984)
• Phonological aspects of nasality: an element-based dependency approach
• A Survey of Word Accentual Patterns in the Languages of the World →ISBN
• David Costa, The Dialectology of Southern New England Algonquian, Papers of the 38th Algonquian Conference 81-127 (edited by H. C. Wolfart) (2007)