Reconstruction:Proto-Algonquian/ne-

This Proto-Algonquian entry contains reconstructed words and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Algonquian

Alternative forms

*net- (see usage notes)
*ni·- (in some compounds, see usage notes)

Etymology

From Proto-Algic *neʔ-, whence also Yurok 'ne-, ʔne- (“my”) and Wiyot du-, d- (showing the hardening of the Proto-Algic nasal n to the stop d).

Prefix

*ne-

my
*ni·piči (“my tooth”)
*ni·yawi (“my body”)
*nemihsa (“my older sister”)

Usage notes

When prefixed to vowel-initial nouns, this prefix and the other three personal prefixes were separated from the nouns by *-t-, i.e. the prefixes became *net-, *ket-, etc. This practice, also present in Wiyot (dut-, etc), must have been present in Proto-Algic.[1]
When prefixed to certain words this prefix became *ni·- (and *ke- became *ki·-, etc).

Descendants

Plains Algonquian:
- Blackfoot: no-, ni-, n- (“my”)
- Arapaho: ne-, no- (“my”)
- Cheyenne: na- (“my”)
Central Algonquian:
- Cree: ni-, ᓂ- (ni-)
- Menominee: nɛ-
- Ojibwe: ni-
- Fox: n-, nî-
- Miami: ni- (“your”)
Eastern Algonquian:
- Abenaki: n-
- Malecite-Passamaquoddy: n-
- Massachusett: ne-
- Mohegan-Pequot: nu-
- Mahican: n-, ne-, nd-, nt-, nch(e)- (“my”)
- Unami: n-, ni-

Compare Quiripi née (“I”) (Unquachog).

References

Hockett (1964)
Goddard (1975)
Siebert (1975)
Costa, David J. (2003) The Miami-Illinois Language (Studies in the Native Languages of the Americas), Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, →ISBN

Ives Goddard, in an essay published in Linguistics and Anthropology

[1] Ives Goddard, in an essay published in Linguistics and Anthropology