The Calusa–Tunica languages are a proposed small language family that comprises the Tunica language of Louisiana and the extinct Calusa language of Florida.[1]
Proposal
Julian Granberry (1994) suggests that the Calusa language was related to the Tunica language of the lower Mississippi River Valley, with Calusa possibly being relatively a recent arrival from the lower Mississippi region. Another possibility was that similarities between the languages were derived from long-term mutual contact.[1]
Comparison of morphemes
Granberry (1994: 510–512) compares the following Tunica and Calusa morphemes. The Tunica data is from Mary Haas,[2][3] while the Proto-Tunica reconstructions are Granberry's own work.[1] The Calusa data is primarily drawn from Hernando de Escalante Fontaneda's 16th-century writings.
gloss Proto-Tunica Tunica Calusa B Calusa A fem. sg. noun *-hki ~ *-hči -hči -(h)ki *-hki imperative verb *-k... -ki -ka over there, yonder *-mi mí-, -mí -mi very much *-štʔɛ -štʔɛ *st(ʔ)a this (noun designator) *ka- ká- ka- all around, about *te- té- te- watch (over, for), guard, wait *hɛ́ra hɛ́ra śer(a) fast, prayer (noun) (húma = berry) *huma húma-ra homa destroy, crush, mash *kuč... kúča kuči assemble, gather together *kunpa ([kuNpa] > kuhpa ?) kúhpa kupe ~ kunpe *kuhpe ~ *kuNpe settle, camp dwell, sit (down), stay, remain *ʔuki ʔúk(i) (ʔ)uk(i) run *lɔta lɔ́ta lɛte tongue(d), language *lu -lu -lo ~ -lu make, build *mašu mášu maś(u) on the other side *may... máyi mayai come to rest, stop, lie down *ña ná ño war, warrior *ñaka náka ñoka look, find, see, watch *po ~ *pe; *wo ~ *we pó we firm, hard, strong *ra rá r(a) house, home, dwelling, building *ri r(í) r(i) tree, branch, wood *šahka -šáhka *śa(h)ka *śahka examine, look at *sɛha sɛ́ha śe(h)(a) brave, bold *ši -š(í) -ś(i) stick, impale, harpoon *šihpu šíhpu śi(h)pi *śihpi prairie *tahta táhta ta(h)te *tahte join, connect *tepi -tépi -tepe cry, weep *waha wáha wa(h)(a) water, liquid *wiši ~ *ʔ...ši wíš(i) (ʔ)eś(i) bring, arrive *yaka yáka yaka
References
- ^ a b c Granberry, Julian (1994). "Evidence for a Calusa-Tunica Relationship". Papers of the Mid-America Linguistics Conference (MALC). Lawrence, Kansas: University of Kansas. pp. 505–519. hdl:1808/22990.
- ^ Haas, Mary R. 1946. A Grammatical Sketch of Tunica. In Linguistic Structures of Native America, Viking Fund Publications in Anthropology No. 6, ed. by Harry Hoijer, et al., New York, pp. 337-366.
- ^ Haas, Mary R. 1953. Tunica Dictionary. University of California Publications in Linguistics, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 175-332, Berkeley.