| Macro-Siouan | |
|---|---|
| (controversial) | |
| Geographic distribution | easternNorth America |
| Linguistic classification | Proposed language family |
| Subdivisions | |
| Language codes | |
| Glottolog | None |
 Pre-contact distribution of the proposed Macro-Siouan language family | |
TheMacro-Siouan languages are a proposedlanguage family that includes theSiouan,Iroquoian, andCaddoan families. Most linguists remain unconvinced that these languages share agenetic relationship, and the existence of a Macro-Siouan language family remains a subject of debate.
In the 19th century,Robert Latham suggested that the Siouan languages are related to theCaddoan andIroquoian languages. In 1931, Louis Allen presented the first list of systematic correspondences between a set of 25 lexical items in Siouan and Iroquoian. In the 1960s and 1970s,Wallace Chafe further explored the link between Siouan and Caddoan languages. In the 1990s,Marianne Mithun compared the morphology and syntax of all the three families. At present, the Macro-Siouan hypothesis based on relations among Siouan, Caddoan, and Iroquoian is not universally accepted as proven.[1]
Below is a comparison of selected basic vocabulary items inProto-Siouan,Proto-Iroquoian, andPawnee (aCaddoan language).
| gloss | Proto-Siouan[2] | Proto-Iroquoian[3] | Pawnee[4] |
|---|---|---|---|
| head | *rą-išú· | *-hskʷ- | páksuʔ |
| hair | *rą·tų́ | *-kiɁɹh- | úːsuʔ |
| eye | *ištá | N *-kahɹ- | kiríːkuʔ |
| ear | *rą́·tpa; *rąxu·- | N *-(a)hõht- | |
| nose | *hpa-sú· | *-Ɂnjõːhs- | icúːsuʔ |
| tooth | *i-hí·; *í·h-Sa (?) | N *-noɁts-, *-noɁtsj- | áːruʔ |
| tongue | *i-ré·ši | háːtuʔ | |
| mouth | *ʔí·he | háːkauʔ | |
| hand | *rąpé > *i-rąpe; *ų́·ke (?) | *-oɁnj- | íksuʔ |
| foot | *i-sí | *-aːhs-, *-aːhsiɁt- | ásuʔ |
| breast | *á·si | *-nõɁt- | éːtuʔ |
| meat | *i-yó· | kísacki | |
| blood | *(wa-)ʔí·(-re) | N *-nkõ-, *-nkʷẽhs- | páːtuʔ |
| bone | *wa-hú·(-re) | N *-Ɂnẽj-; *-hskẽɁɹ- | kíːsuʔ |
| person | *wą́·ke | N *-õkʷeh, *-õkʷehsɹ-, *-õkʷeɁt- (v.) | cáhriks |
| name | *yá·še | N *-hsẽn- | |
| dog | *wašų́ke, *wi-šų́·ke | *kiːɹ | ásaːki |
| fish | *wi-hó· | *-tsjõɁt- | kacíːki |
| louse | *(w-)hé· < **(wa-)hé· | ||
| tree | N *kaɹhit, *keɹhit, *keɹhiɁ, *kɹaheːt, *kɹahit | rahaːpe | |
| leaf | *á·pe | N *-nɹaht- | kuːtik |
| flower | *xyá; *xyéhe | N *-ẽh- (Iroquoia) | |
| water | *yo; *wa-rį́· | *awẽɁ | kíːcuʔ |
| fire | *(wa-)hpé·te | *-tsiːɹ | keːkauʔ ‘flame’ |
| stone | *(wa-)ʔį́·(-re); *rį́·sV; *į́-xʔe | *-nẽːj- | karítki |
| earth | *awą́·- | N *-õhwẽtsj- | huráːruʔ |
| salt | N *-tsikheɁt- | ||
| road | *yą́·ku | N *-ah-, *-(a)hah- | hatúːruʔ |
| eat | *rú·tE | *-k- | waːwa-a |
| die | *tʔé·(-re) | N *-ihej- | hurahac |
| I | *w- | *hskʷi (2:1.SG) | -t- |
| you | *yi·- ~ *yį·- | *kõː (1:2.SG); N *iːts | -s- |