Gulf languages

Not to be confused with Gulf Arabic.

Short description: Proposed language family

Gulf

(proposed)
Geographic
distribution| Gulf Coast, United States
Linguistic classification| Proposed language family
Subdivisions|

* Muskogean
* Natchez
* Tunica
* Atakapa
* ? Chitimacha

Glottolog| None

The Gulf languages are a proposed family of native North American languages composed of the Muskogean languages, along with four language isolates: Natchez, Tunica, Atakapa, and (possibly) Chitimacha.

## Contents

* 1 History of proposal
* 2 Lexical comparisons
* 2.1 Comparisons with Algonquian
* 3 Pronominal comparisons
* 4 See also
* 5 References

## History of proposal

Gulf was proposed as a language family by Mary Haas (Haas 1951,[1] 1952[2]), but the family has not been rigorously established by the comparative method. Historical linguists such as Lyle Campbell (Campbell and Mithun 1979,[3] Campbell 1997[4]) list the relationship as unproven, though a number of Muskogean scholars believe that Muskogean is at least related to Natchez (Campbell 1997:305).

However, the Gulf hypothesis is considered by a number of specialists on Muskogean languages, including Mary Haas and Pamela Munro. Munro (1995) has regarded the hypothesis of a Gulf family of languages as promising; Haas thought the closest language to Muskogean would be Natchez, followed by Tunica, Atakapa, and, rather dubiously, Chitimacha.[5] A difficulty in evaluating the hypothesis is the lack of available data. Most of the data on Chitimacha and Natchez is still unpublished and held in archives.

Additionally, Haas (1958) proposed that the Gulf languages are related to the Algonquian languages.[6]

## Lexical comparisons

Lexical comparisons by Kimball (1994) showing areal similarities among the "Gulf" languages:[7]: 35–38

gloss | Proto-Muskogean | Tunica

|
|

sibling of opposite sex  | *xaya | -áhaya 'sister-in-law'
to want  | *kʷanna | -wána
big gray heron  | *watola | wátoru-hki 'whooping crane'
fruit; to bear fruit  | *aθi | ʔélu
willow | osí (Koasati) | ʔx̌ša

gloss | Tunica | Natchez

|
|

to stick in  | čáhka | cak-
to drip  | čólu | col-
corn  | háhka | haku
to gulp  | kɔ́ra | kolkol-
to put in the mouth  | káhpu | hi-kap-
chicken  | kápaši | kapaꞏht(i)
wild goose  | lálahki | láꞏlak
to fart  | píhču | pic-
to shine  | réma | leM-
to snore  | róhku | loꞏk-
sassafras | rɔ́wasi | waꞏ
to blow the nose  | šímu | šiꞏM-
to blow (of wind)  | wíhu | *wiꞏW-
wild potato | ʔɔ́ška- | ʔac
to cough  | ʔúhu | ʔohoꞏ-
like, resembling  | -nahku | -neke
intestines  | -yóni | ʔuꞏnuh

gloss | Tunica | Chitimacha

|
|

man / men  | ší | ʔasi / ʔayš
ear  | -ála-wɛ́ča | waʔaš
kingfisher | čárina | čana
cypress | háhku | ʔak-šuš
to die  | lúpi | nuꞏp-
war  | náka | nakš

gloss | Tunica | Atakapa

|
|

black  | méli | meːl
to call  | wáli | wan

gloss | Natchez | Proto-Muskogean

|
|

to buy  | ciꞏp-hakiʔiš | *čoʔpa
pine tree  | col | *čolyi
squash  | coꞏY | *tahayo
fox / bark or yelp like a fox  | kaWkup | *kaxʷ-ka
six  | lahanaW | *xana-li
perch / fish  | šaꞏš(i) | *θaθi-xo
wife  | ʔaꞏL | *xalki
tooth  | ʔeNt | *innoti
ten  | ʔoꞏko | *poko-li
nothing but  | -aꞏnah | (Koasati) -nánna
ergative / nominative  | -c | -*t
absolutive / accusative  | -n | -*n

gloss | Natchez | Chitimacha

|
|

water / liquid  | kuN | kuꞏ
hundred  | puꞏp | puꞏp
cow  | waštaꞏN | waštik
spider web  | weykoL | way’
to hear  | ʔeꞏp-le-halʔiš | wopi-
vulture  | ʔoꞏši | ʔoꞏš
twenty / two  | ʔoꞏk-ahp | ʔupa

gloss | Natchez | Atakapa

|
|

name  | ʔinu | eːŋ
persimmon | ʔoꞏ | oːl

gloss | Chitimacha | Atakapa

|
|

ten  | heyč’i | hišiŋ
liver  | kesi | keːc(k)
woman  | kiča | kiš
gourd  | kupu | kipaco
earth  | ney | neː
Spanish moss | siꞏc | šiːt
mulberry  | sisč’up | ses
beaver  | ʔaꞏci | oc

gloss | Atakapa | Proto-Muskogean

|
|

shell  | iwal | xʷolo

gloss | Tunica | Proto-Muskogean | Natchez

|
|
|

red-headed woodpecker | čuhčuhina | *čaxčahka | cawcah
pileated woodpecker | páhpahkana | *kʷahkʷa-ka | pakpakuꞏ-šiꞏL
robin (Quapaw šį́kkokkóke)  | wiškʔohku | *č/kʷiskoko | miškokʷ
breast  | ʔúču | *piči 'suckle; breasts' | šuꞏ

gloss | Tunica | Chitimacha | Natchez | Atakapa | Proto-Muskogean

|
|
|
|
|

hackberry | kó- | kamu | koŋ |  |
negative  | -ʔaha |  | -haꞏt | -hah |
wind  | húri | howi |  | hi |
uncle  |  | waʔa / waꞏ | ʔaweh | wahš |
hand  | ʔiꞏš | waši | woːš / wiːš |  |
to give  |  | ʔaꞏ- | ha-ku-ši-ʔiš |  | *im-aka
skunk  | šíki | kištʔeʔe | šic | šikitiš |

### Comparisons with Algonquian

Some lexical similarities between the Algonquian and Gulf languages given by Haas (1958):[6]

gloss | Proto-
Central Algonquian | Proto-Muskogean | Natchez | Tunica | Chitimacha | Atakapa

|
|
|
|
|
|

beat  | *pak- | — | paꞏk- | pɛ́ka | — | pak
cold  | *tahk- | — | takap- | láka | č’aki | —
cut  | *kiꞏšk- | *kač- | kec- | káhču | — | kec
die  | *nepe- | *ili- | — | lúpi | nuꞏp- | (pih)
fish  | *nameꞏ- | *ɴaɴi/u | ʔeɴ | níni | (ni-) | nti
hand  | *-neθk-i | *-mkʷi | — | -hkeni |  | nok
name  | *-iꞏn- | — | ʔinu | — | nuy-t- | eŋ
neck  | *-hkweꞏ- | — | kʷaht | — | k’eʔ | koy
night  | *tepeθk- | — | tewe | láwu | t’apk’i | iti
one  | *kwet-; *nekwet- | — | wiꞏt- |  | ʔunk’u | (ta)nuk
scrape  | *kaꞏšk- | *kaꞏs- | koꞏc- | kɔ́sa | k’atka- | kau-š
see  | *neꞏw- | — | ʔeʟ- | hɛ́ra | heč-t- | ini
sharp(en)  | *kiꞏn-t- | *xʷulut- | pilit- | kíri | kihci | kini
shoot  | *pemw-, *-el- | — | -epenel- | — | paꞏhma- | pem
split  | *paꞏθk- | *paƚ- | paꞏʟ- | pása | [č]ap-t- | paƚ
swallow  | *kwan- | *kʷalak- | -akun- | kɔ́ra | kaꞏč-t- | kul
tail  | *-aθany- | *haci | ʔisi | -ása | mahči | —
three  | *neʔθ- | — | neꞏ- | ʔéni- | — | lat
through  | *šaꞏpw- | *ƚuput- | — | šíhpu | — | ƚop
tree  | *meʔtekw- | *itti/u | cuꞏ | ríhku | šuš | —
turn  | *kwetekw- | — | kitip- | kúra | kut’ih-t- | —

## Pronominal comparisons

Below are pronouns comparisons by Geoffrey Kimball (1994) showing areal similarities among the "Gulf" languages.[7]: 39 Note that Tunica distinguishes masculine and feminine pronominal forms.

Independent pronouns  gloss | Proto-Muskogean | Tunica | Natchez | Chitimacha | Atakapa

|
|
|
|
|

I  | *ano | ʔíma | takeꞏha | ʔiš | wiš
you  | *ično | má (M); hɛ́ma (F) | ʔakahni | himʔ | naš
s/he  | — | ʔúwi (M); tíhci (F) | ʔišina | hus | haːš
we  | *posno | ʔinima | takahniꞏ | ʔus | yukitiš
you (pl)  | *hačno | wínima (M); hínima (F) | ʔaNkahniꞏ | was | nakit
they  | — | sɛ́ma (M); sínima (F) | ʔišinaꞏniꞏ | hunks | hakitiš

Possessive pronouns  gloss | Proto-Muskogean | Tunica | Natchez | Chitimacha | Atakapa

|
|
|
|
|

my  | *ca- / *am- | ʔi- | -niš | ʔiš | wi
your  | *či- / *čim- | wi- (M); hi-, he- (F) | -piš | himʔ | na
her / his  | *i- / *im- | ʔu- (M); ti- (F) | -ʔiš | hus | ha
our  | *po- / pom- | ʔi-n | — | ʔus | yukit
your (pl)  | *hači- / *hačim- | wi-n- (M); hi-n- (F) | — | was | nakit
their  | — | si- (M); si-n- (F) | — | hunks | hakit

Agentive pronouns  gloss | Proto-Muskogean | Tunica | Natchez | Chitimacha | Atakapa

|
|
|
|
|

I  | *-li | -ni | ta- / ya- / ʔa- (ka-) | -ki | -o
you  | *ič- / *či- | wí- (M); hɛ́- (F) | pan- / pi- / paꞏ- | -iʔi | naš
s/he  | *Ø- | ʔú- (M); ʔá- (F) | na- / ʔi- / ʔaꞏ- | -iʔi | haš
we  | *il- / -*li | ʔína- |  | -naka | -cel
you (pl)  | *hač- / *-hači | wína- (M); hɛ́na- (F) | — | -naʔa | -tem
they  | *Ø | ʔúna- (M); sina- (F) | — | -naʔa | -oɬ

Patient pronouns  gloss | Proto-Muskogean | Tunica | Natchez | Chitimacha | Atakapa

|
|
|
|
|

I  | *ca- | ʔihk- | -t- | -ki- | hi
you  | *či- | wihk- (M); hihk- (F) | -p- | -Ø- | n
s/he  | *Ø- | ʔuhk- (M); tihk- (F) | -Ø- | -Ø- | ha
we  | *po- | ʔink- | — | -kuy- | iš
you (pl)  | *hači- | wink- (M); hink- (F) | — | -Ø- | nak-
they  | — | sihk- (M); sink- (F) | — | -Ø- | šak-
reflexive  | *ili- | — | -hši- |  | hat-
reciprocal  | *ixti- | ʔak- | -tahn- | — | hok-

Stative verb subject pronouns  gloss | Proto-Muskogean | Tunica | Natchez | Chitimacha | Atakapa

|
|
|
|
|

I  | *ca- | ʔi- | -t- | -ki- | hi
you  | *či- | wi- (M); hi- (F) | -p- | -Ø- | n
s/he  | *Ø- | ʔu- (M); ti- (F) | -Ø- | -Ø- | Ø-
we  | *po- | ʔi-n | — | -kuy- | ic-
you (pl)  | *hači- | wi-n- (M); hi-n- (F) | — | -Ø- | —
they  | — | si- (M); si-n- (F) | — | -Ø- | Ø-

## See also

* Calusa–Tunica languages

## References

1. ↑ Haas, Mary. (1951). The Proto-Gulf word for water (with notes on Siouan-Yuchi). International Journal of American Linguistics 17: 71-9.
2. ↑ Haas, Mary. (1952). The Proto-Gulf word for 'land' (with notes on Proto-Siouan). International Journal of American Linguistics 18: 238-240.
3. ↑ Campbell, Lyle and Marianne Mithun. 1979. The Languages of Native America: A Historical and Comparative Assessment. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press.
4. ↑ Campbell, Lyle. 1997. American Indian Languages: The Historical Linguistics of Native America. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
5. ↑ Munro, Pamela. 1995. Gulf and Yuki-Gulf. Anthropological Linguistics 36: 125-222.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Haas, Mary R. (1958). A New Linguistic Relationship in North America: Algonkian and the Gulf Languages. Southwestern Journal of Anthropology, 14(3), 231-264.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Kimball, Geoffrey. 1994. Comparative difficulties of the "Gulf" languages. In Langdon, Margaret (ed.), Proceedings of the Meeting of the Society for the Study of the Indigenous languages of the Americas July 2–4, 1993 and the Hokan-Penutian Workshop July 3, 1993 (both held at the 1993 Linguistic Institute at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio). Survey of California and Other Indian Languages, Report 8. Berkeley: University of California.

* v
* t
* e

Indigenous language families and isolates of North America

Language families
and isolates|

* Eskimo–Aleut
* Haida
* Yuki–Wappo
* Chumashan
* Adai
* Beothuk
* Cayuse
* Kutenai
* Timucua
* Waikuri
* Pericú

| Na-Dene|

* Tlingit
* Eyak
* Athabaskan

|

Algic|

* Wiyot
* Yurok
* Algonquian

Mosan ?|

* Salishan
* Wakashan
* Chimakuan

Macro-Siouan ?|

* Siouan
* Caddoan
* Iroquoian
* Yuchi

Penutian ?|

* Chinookan
* Wintuan
* Maiduan
* Yok-Utian
* Yokuts
* Utian
* Tsimshianic

| Plateau ?|

* Klamath
* Molala
* Sahaptian

|

Coast Oregon ?|

* Alsean
* Coosan
* Siuslaw

Takelma–Kalapuyan ?|

* Takelma
* Kalapuyan

Hokan ?|

* Shastan
* Palaihnihan
* Pomoan
* Yuman
* Tequistlatecan
* Chimariko
* Esselen
* Jicaquean
* Karuk
* Salinan
* Seri
* Washo
* Yana

Pueblo
linguistic area|

* Tanoan
* Keres
* Zuni

Coahuiltecan
linguistic area|

* Aranama
* Karankawa
* Maratino
* Naolan
* Quinigua
* Solano
* Tonkawa

| Pakawan ?|

* Coahuilteco
* Cotoname
* Comecrudo
* Garza
* Mamulique

|

Gulf ?|

* Muskogean
* Natchez
* Tunica
* Atakapa
* Chitimacha

Mesoamerican
linguistic area|

* Chibchan
* Jicaquean
* Lencan
* Mayan
* Misumalpan
* Oto-Manguean
* Tequistlatecan
* Totozoquean
* Totonacan
* Mixe–Zoque
* Uto-Aztecan
* Xincan
* Cuitlatec
* Huave
* Purépecha
* Alagüilac ?

Caribbean
linguistic area|

* Arawakan
* Cariban

| Pre-Arawakan|

* Guanahatabey
* Macorix
* Ciguayo

|

Proposed groupings|

* Amerind
* Algonquian–Wakashan
* Aztec–Tanoan
* Macro-Mayan
* Macro-Chibchan
* Tolatecan
* Waroid

Lists|

* Classification
* Extinct languages
* Unclassified languages
* Linguistic areas

0.00

(0 votes)

Original source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf languages. Read more

|

Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Social:Gulf_languages&oldid=4165189"
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template