'Woman' Entries From Du Ponceau's Comparative Vocabulary of Algonquian Languages Abstract: 'Woman' entries 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).
XII. WOMAN (Latin: Mulier, Woman)
The word squaw, pronounced as it is spelled, is generally considered in the United States the proper word to distinguish an Indian woman: a woman, an Indian woman, the 'girlfriend' of an Indian. Sometimes the languages of this word family also use other words such as pchanum or panum, méamsah and others. Sometimes many of the words are used at the same time. We will examine them individually.
1. Word family squaw
Narragansett Squaws Williams Unquachog Squah MS Montagnais Schquow Soc. of Mass. Skoffies Schow Ibid. Crees Esquois Mackenzie Sankhicans Osquoiwe (osquâoué) Laet. Algonkins Ickowé1 La Hontan.
Iqué Dr. James
Ichquois Mackenzie Menominee Youkiou Dr. James Illinois, Piankashwa & Miami Ickoué MS Ottawa Aqué Hamelin Chippewa Acquew Heckewelder Lenape Ochqueu Ibid. Delawares
of PennsylvaniaAquæo Campanius of New Jersey Hocqua MS Nanticoke Aquahaag (appears to be plural) Heckewelder
Acquahique MS 1 This resembles a little the Iroquois Ixhaa.
This word family can be seen to extend from the Crees in Canada and the Skoffies and Montagnards of Acadia down to the Nanticokes in Virginia.
2. Word family panum or pchanum
Mahican Pchanum Heckewelder Abénaki Phainem Rasles 3. Word family métamsah.
Miama Métamsah Volney We have only found the word used by itself in this language, but we have found it, as well as Panum combined with Squaw, in the following languages.
4. Languages in which the words below are found together.
Massachusetts Mittamwossis, eshqua Cotton Eliot, in his translation of the Bible, uses mittamwossis, the word from a long hunter living among the Miami who comes to the Massachusetts. It is not found among the intermediate nations, unless it is found perhaps in some composed words. Barton, in his Vocabulary, gives mittummus with other words for wife (Latin: uxor), in the language of the Narragansetts. It is difficult to avoid the confusion they often present these Vocabularies. It is probable that the Narragansetts, like the Massachusetts, use two words to say woman (Latin: mulier). See below, woman (Latin: uxor).
Shawanos Equiwa Johnston
Métémsa MS
Némétimochsi, I am a woman The same MS Penobscot Squaw, squoie, panum MS This manuscript, in which we have great confidence, gives many phrases in which the different words are used, apparently indiscriminately. We believe we ought to present them here.
Sangulosquaw Skillful, capable woman Muripanum Wicked woman Matsipanum Poor woman Palapin nosquoié, balsquoié Modest woman Katoumankipanum Poor woman Ksifosquaw Young woman We are now going to offer examples of this word in other languages of the same family. Their etymology appears altogether different.
Powhatan Erénépo Capt. Smith Souriquois Naboriou Laet
Épit P. Maynard Micmacs Aapeet (epit). Soc. De Mass. XIII. WOMAN (Latin: Uxor, wife)
In most of these langages, this word appears to us derived from wigwam, wikwam, house, the same as in English the word husband ; in Swedish and Danish hustru, hustrue; in Spanish, casarse, etc. We will examine this word in Lenape, which is the basis of this etymology. We will start of with that word, followed by the various for MS of the word house in the same language.
Lenape Wiwalle, his woman Heckewelder The Zeisberger vocabulary gives us the following words.
Wikiak my house Wikiàn your house Wikingée his house Wikichtit their house Wikingét married man or
married womanAnd Heckewelder gives us:
Wichian his spouse This differs very little from wikián, your house. The ch must be pronounced kh, or the Greek x.
Chippewa Wicoak Heckewelder Mahican Weewon (ouiouan) Barton Shawnee Newiwah
(my woman)Heckewelder
Neewan (niouan,
my woman)Johnston
Newah (niouah) Barton Algonquin Niwish (my woman) Dr. James Potawatomi Neowah (niouah,
my woman)Barton Nanticoke Nee-ce-wah (niciouah
my woman)MS Narragansett Weewo (ouiouo) Barton Abenaki Nissouiegoua
(his woman;
ouigouam, house)Rasles Penobscot Neeseweeock
(niseouiock)Barton Miami Wiwak Volney Menominee Wiowika Dr. James Chippewa Wiwan Heckewelder The Ottawas say my woman (Latin: mulier), as well as the Algonkin and the Crees, and without a doubt many other nations not addressed by these vocabularies.
Massachusetts. Eliot, in his translation of the Bible, uses mittamwossis for the Latin mulier and uxor: -- Et dixit ad mulierem, kah unnoh mittamwossissoh, (Gen. 3:1) -- Et adam cognovit euorem suam Evam ; onk Adam waheau Evioh ummitam wussoh. (Gen. 4:1).
This ought not appear unusual. The English say my wife; the French ma femme. It is true that common usage is mon épouse, but that is an affectation and the word femme is used no less because of it. The Spanish, by the same token, say mi muger, and the Germans meine frau.
In the follow languages, the word woman (Latin: uxor) appears the proceed the words epit and squaw. See the entry for woman (Latin: mulier).
Micmacs Taypectum (tepitom) Soc. de Mass. Montagnais Tishquah Ibid. Skoffies Teshquoet (techkouet) Ibid.
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Translated by: Jim Fay, Ph.D.
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