'Girl' Entry From Du Ponceau's Comparative Vocabulary of Algonquian Languages Abstract: 'Girl' entry from Du Ponceau's "Comparative Vocabulary and Discussion of Languages of the Algonquian Family" in Dissertation on the Grammatical System of the Languages of Some Indians of North America, (Paris, 1938) by Peter Stephen Du Ponceau (1760-1844).
XIX. FILLE (Latin: Puella)
Algonkin Ikouessens. La Hontan This is a diminutive of ickouè, woman.
Chippewa Equoysince Long This is ikouessens, spelled differently.
Chippewa Iechwessin Barton
Ishkwassin Keating The same word again.
Narragansett Squasese (squasis) Williams Diminutive of squaw, woman.
Narragansett Kiktukquaw. Barton Lenape Ochquesis Heckwelder Diminutive of ochqueu, woman.
Lenapé Kikochquees Ibid. The word is composed like this: ki, the last syllable of wuski, new, young; k its euphonic; ochq, the first syllable of ochqueu, woman; ces, the termination diminutive; thus kikochquees, signifies a young little girl.
Minsi Ochquesi (small woman) Heckewelder Cree Squasis (same thing) Keating Saki Squessa Say Diminutive of kwaoke (quéaki, woman).
Delawares
of New JerseyHokkuatschit MS. Diminutive of hokkuâ, woman, corruption of squaw .
Delawares
of PennsylvaniaOquaeattaet Campanius Diminutive of aquuoeo, woman.
Delawares
of PennsylvaniaNijlon (virgin) Ibid. Ottawa Kigang (virgin) Hamelin We do not know the etymology of the two preceding words.
Mahican Peenschquaso (girl, puella) Heckewelder
Wuskochquaw (virgin) Ibid. From wuski, new, young, and from ochqueu or squaw , woman. But see the entry for woman (Latin:mulier), where the same Heckewelder gives only the word pchanum in this language; which demonstrates the manner in which the Indian languages borrowed from one another. We do the same thing: we say feu, bruler, incendie, the English say king, queen, royal, etc. The Latins themselves said ignis, urere, ardere, incendere, conflagroatio, duo, bis, etc. This is how the languages entwine one with an other. -- Edwards gives Pisquasou, and the Society of Massachusetts Pishquahou.
Shawnee Quaniswà, quechsa Heckwelder This is probably derived from équiwa, woman (Latin: mulier); see the entry for that word.
Nanticoké Pechquoh MS
Kikschuâ Heckewelder The second word agrees; see it under Lenape. The first corresponds with pisquasou, pishquatou; see it under Mahican. We do not know the etymology of pis, pich, pech.
Miami Kuanisuah Thornton
Kanesswah Barton Volney does not give this word.
Potawatomi Squilheta Johnston Diminutive of squaw.
Montagnais Squashish Society of Mass. Same observation.
Skoffies Squart Ibid. Same observation.
Micmacs Aypitaish Society of Mass.
Epitousis MS Origin unknown.
Abenaki Nankskoué (diminutive
nankskouessis)Rasles From ouski, nounouski, nunski, nanski; new, young, and from squaw, scoué, woman.
Abenaki Nenanskouésioui (young
woman)Rasles. Massachusetts Nanksquaw Eliot
Penumpun Barton This word appears to us to be derived from the first syllable of pilsit, which, in Lenapé, signifies chaste, pure; the letter l changed into n, as one sees in the French word enfant, and the last syllable of wosketomp, mankind (see that word), to which is added a termination.
Penobscot Nunskénousé Barton
Nanskois MS of a French missionary
Noksquâsis American MS Indians of St. Francis Nunkquashiis (small young woman) Pickering See Lenape.
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Translated by: Jim Fay, Ph.D.
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