LOANWORDS IN SERI: THE DATA [draft]

Words of Uto-Aztecan origin (primarily, presumably)12

Taracahitan Tepiman
Gloss Seri Broad phonetic Yaqui Mayo Eudeve Huarijío O’odham Pima Bajo Southeastern
spelling (phonemic) Tepehuan
representation
the root of make shade c-a-sóoma √ˈsoomɑ hisuma, suma ‘tie’ summa ‘tie up’ (vúran ‘tie’ (wul ‘be tied (vurha ‘tie’ (‘atar’))
shelter (amarrar) (‘amarrar’)) together’)
the root of make tortilla c-a-táscar √ˈtɑskɑɾ itaskari, tajkaim táskaran (chemait) (témich)

the root of work (for c-a-tícpan √ˈtikpɑn tekipanoa téquirgua takari chikpan (haitu urhavogu)
pay) (noun,
‘trabajo’)
the root of make adobe c-a-záamt √ˈʃɑɑmt saamí saamí (aaroe) shahmt sami, sáamich
robber fly (Asilidae) catápora, kɑˈtɑpoɾɑ,
catópora
kɑˈtopoɾɑ
non-Indian Mexican cocsar ˈkoksɑɾ (ejpanyol, yoi noki) kóksor — —
‘Spaniard’
knife, metal eenim ˈɛɛnim (tepojtim ‘hierro’, (vicát (peeturi) cf. wainomi ‘metal, guainomi ‘iron’ and vaiñum ‘metal
kuchi’im ‘cuchillo’) ‘cuchillo’) wenomi ‘dinero’ knife’ “metal ya limpio” (tool)’
(from huarijío (tumusi ‘knife’)
alto)
hat haaonam ˈʔɑɑonɑm (mo’obei) bónama (mo’kori) wonami vonama, wáynem,
wónem

1 Edward W. Spicer (1953, Parentescos uto-aztecas de la lengua seri, Yan 1.1: 37-41), saw some similarities between Seri and neighboring Uto-Aztecan languages, and as a result proposed that there was a more obvious genetic
relationship between Seri and them than between Seri and the Yuman languages. This proposal did not meet with any success. While the relationship between Seri and other putative Hokan languages has not been proven, it is clear that
there is no genetic relationship between Seri and the Uto-Aztecan family.
2 The words eenim, haaonam, and yequim all, together with the archaic word hequem ‘a kind of long grinding stone’, have unusual plural forms in Seri: eentz, haanatz, yectz, and hequetz, respectively. The source of this odd
pluralization pattern in Seri is unknown.

Loanwords in Seri: the data. © 2007 Stephen A. Marlett. page 1 rev. 7/12/2007
 Taracahitan Tepiman
Gloss Seri Broad phonetic Yaqui Mayo Eudeve Huarijío O’odham Pima Bajo Southeastern
spelling (phonemic) (Papago) Tepehuan
representation
Apache hapats ˈʔɑpɑts haapat, hapa’achi, — (Ohbi) aps
japa’achi
fawn of mule deer haayor ˈʔɑɑjoɾ
sawn wood hocö ˈʔokʷ woko, oko, goko guocco ‘pine’ wokót ‘pine’ ohko huk ‘pine, hucu, huk ‘pine’ juc ‘pine’
‘pine’ lumber, wooden
board’
mesquite †hoohopam ˈʔooʔopɑm hú'upa, ju'upa húparo, upara (kui) (cui)
hú’uparo
cotton [source of Seri mooj ˈmoox (chiinim) (chin) (to’sa) (tokih) (toki)
word is unknown]
pinto bean †moon ˈmoon muuni, muni mún muuni muhni, muuñ (babi)
short, stunted pootsi ˈpootsi poochi, poochi posítzi — —
‘hunchbacked’
brown sugar sancáac sɑnˈkɑɑk sánkaka — (pa-nohji sancaca
‘unrefined
sugar’)
bread siimet ˈsiimɛt (paanim) (pan) (paani) simito ‘whole —
wheat bun’
cardinal †sipjö ˈsipxʷ (wichala’akas) (urúcuquitz) sipuk (tatoskiga)
tepary bean (Phaseolus teepar ˈtɛɛpɑɾ (se’elaim) tépar (bawi) —
acutifolius)
bighorn sheep (Ovis †tison ˈtison (jobe’eso) — cheshoni, cexoñ —
canadensis
turkey too ˈtoo (chiiwi, kokono) (ziví) tohwa tow
chicken tootar ˈtootɑɾ totoi tótori (bedéco chuchul tótori
‘gallina’)

Loanwords in Seri: the data. © 2007 Stephen A. Marlett. page 2 rev. 7/12/2007
 Taracahitan Tepiman
Gloss Seri Broad phonetic Yaqui Mayo Eudeve Huarijío O’odham Pima Bajo Southeastern
spelling (phonemic) (Papago) Tepehuan
representation
Yaqui (person) yequim ˈjɛkim jiaki — hiakim —
black-eyed peas yori imóon joɾiˈmoon — — yorimuni —
a grass (unidentified) zai ˈʃɑi — — washai, washa'i, sa’e
sha'i
great-tailed grackle zazan ˈʃɑʃɑn chana — (cha’ka) shashani séseyn
(Quiscalus mexicanus) ‘blackbird’
burlap bag [source of zoozj ˈʃooʃx (loanword from (loanword from (chirawira, (loanword from (uhasomi ‘costal’)
Seri word is unknown] Spanish) Spanish) aaneka, kohtari) Spanish)

Loanwords in Seri: the data. © 2007 Stephen A. Marlett. page 3 rev. 7/12/2007
Words from Spanish, many of which arguably were borrowed through Uto-Aztecan languages

Taracahitan Tepiman
Gloss Spanish Seri spelling Broad phonetic Yaqui Mayo Eudeve Huarijío O’odham Pima Bajo Southeastern
source (phonemic) Tepehuan
representation
ribbon listón aristóon ɑˈɾistoon
shirt camisa caamiz ˈkɑɑmiʃ (supem) — kamish —
jacket capota capota ˈkɑpotɑ
sheep [note change of cabra caar ˈkɑɑɾ cabara ‘oveja’ (ovés) kahwul —
meaning]
horse caballo caay ˈkɑɑj kaba’i kaváduqui kaawai kawiyu —
Manila tamarind guamuchil camótzila kɑˈmotʃilɑ
ladder escalera †cascaréera kɑskɑˈɾɛɛɾɑ
the root of stroll pasear c-a-pásiro √pɑsiɾo
the root of pawn prendar c-a-preent √pɾɛɛnt peenta — plihnthat —
the root of beg limosna †c-a-ramózni √ɾɑˈmoʃni limojna — limoshan (native word)
the root of wander vagar c-a- √ɾˈɡʷɛjotim — — (native word) —
around rgüéyotim [phonetically
odd]
candle candil contíir konˈtiiɾ kanteelam kaantera kanjel candera,
(‘candela’) kandéel
pig cochino cootzi ˈkootʃi koowi — kooi, koowi kohji —
(‘cerdo’)
kind of short blouse or cotón coton ˈkoton — — cotoni —
shirt
bucket, pail balde haalti, †ooti ˈʔɑɑlti, ˈooti balle — wahlthi —
gasoline [note change aceite hasáaiti ʔɑˈsɑɑiti — — a-saithi —
in meaning]

Loanwords in Seri: the data. © 2007 Stephen A. Marlett. page 4 rev. 7/12/2007
 Taracahitan Tepiman
Gloss Spanish Seri spelling Broad phonetic Yaqui Mayo Eudeve Huarijío O’odham Pima Bajo Southeastern
source (phonemic) Tepehuan
representation
sword espada haspáaya ʔɑˈspɑɑjɑ
bottle botella hatéeya ʔɑˈtɛɛjɑ botea — (other words) —
burro, donkey burro hohra ˈʔoʔɾɑ buuru — uuru wuhlu, wuhlo bur, wur
in any moment opaco ? †hoo paaco ʔoo ˈpɑɑko — — — —
week [note change in domingo icatóomec ikɑˈtoomɛk Lomiinko — thomig domk ‘week’,
meaning] ‘week’, ‘Sunday’
Thomig
‘Sunday’
Saturday sábado †izáayo iˈʃɑɑjo sabala — shahwai sáwan
round, flat-bottomed, litro liitro ˈliitɾo
straight-sided basket
candy dulce †loolsi ˈloolsi (native word) (native word) lohlsi (native word)
demijohn damijuana †masáana mɑˈsɑɑnɑ — — — —
cat miisi miist ˈmiist miisi místo mi’si mihstol micxto
whitethorn acacia vinorama oenoráama oɛnoˈɾɑɑmɑ
priest padre paar ˈpɑɑɾ paare — paare pahl páaly ‘cura’
honey panal panáal pɑˈnɑɑɬ (native word) (native word) (native word) pa-nahl sit’ol (native word)
reins and bit rienda paréen pɑɾˈɛɛn —
shoe zapato pazáato pɑˈʃɑɑto (boocham) (hobát) (shuhshkdag) (native word)
peso peso peez ˈpɛɛʃ peeso — pihsh —
party fiesta pyeest ˈpjɛɛst (pajko) — piast (native word)
cheese queso quiiz ˈkiiʃ keesum — queesu gihsho —
checkers damas raama ˈɾɑɑmɑ — — — —

Loanwords in Seri: the data. © 2007 Stephen A. Marlett. page 5 rev. 7/12/2007
 Taracahitan Tepiman
Gloss Spanish Seri spelling Broad phonetic Yaqui Mayo Eudeve Huarijío O’odham Pima Bajo Southeastern
source (phonemic) Tepehuan
representation
real (coin) real reáli ɾɛˈɑli — — lial ‘money’ —
lariat reata ret ˈɾɛt reata — liat (native word)
crazy loco roocö ˈɾookʷ (native word) (native word) lohgo (native word)
blouse with pocket saco saaco ˈsɑɑko (word not used — sahgo (native word)
for blouse?)
soldier soldado santáar sɑnˈtɑɑɾ sontao (native word) soontaro shontal sontao
goat chivato seaato ˈsɛɑɑto (cf. chiiba) — siwat —
saddle silla siir ˈsiiɾ — — (pusite) sihl sira
bedsheet sábana soáano soˈɑɑno savana — sawana sahwano —
spurs espuelas soéroj soˈɛɾox ijpuelam — ispul (native word)
Devil Diablo Tear tɛɑɾ (native word) — jiawul yáawely
handkerchief toalla toaaz ˈtoɑɑʃ (paayum) — tohwush (native word)
money tomín tom ˈtom tomi — toomi lial tomíny
vehicle troque , trooqui ˈtɾooki
English
truck
money jola (reg.)3 †xoola ˈjoolɑ — — — —
demon diablo yaawlo ˈjɑɑwlo — — (reemoni) jiawul —
cowboy vaquero yecyar ˈjɛkjɑɾ bake’o — waakero wakial —
a breed of dog with ? yova ˈjovɑ
long ears
God (Christian) Dios Yooz ˈjooʃ lios — Riosi Jiosh dyóos

3 Francisco J. Santamaría (1983) Diccionario de mejicanismos, 4a edición. México, D.F.: Editorial Porrua. “Jola. f. En el norte y noroeste del pais, moneda sencilla o fraccionaria; feria.” (p. 642).

Loanwords in Seri: the data. © 2007 Stephen A. Marlett. page 6 rev. 7/12/2007
Miscellaneous
Possible loan from Seri to other languages: sea turtle moosni (Chelonia mydas); compare Yaqui moosen / mosen and Mayo moosen. Johnson (1962) says this is a “strange word” in Yaqui.
Curiosity: Seri √teen mouth. Compare Pima Bajo téeny.

SOURCES OF DATA

Eudeve
Lionnet, Andrés. 1986. El eudeve: un idioma extinto de Sonora. México, D.F.: UNAM.
Pennington, Campbell W., editor. 1981. Arte y vocabulario de la lengua dohema, heve o eudeva, [by] anónimo (siglo XVII). Mexico, D.F.: Universidad Nacional Autonóma de México.

Huarijío
Stolzfus, Ron. (in preparation). Huarijío-Spanish Dictionary.

Mayo
Collard, Howard and Elisabeth Scott Collard. 1974. Vocabulario mayo. México, D.F.: Instituto Lingüístico de Verano.

O’odham
Mathiot, Madeleine. 1973. A dictionary of Papago usage. Language Science Monographs. Bloomington: Indiana University.
Saxton, Dean; Lucille Saxton, and Susie Enos, compilers. 1983. Dictionary: Papago/Pima–English, O’othham–Mil-gahn; English–Papago/Pima, Mil-gahn–O’othham, 2nd ed. rev. Tucson: University of Arizona
Press.

Pima Bajo and Névome

Escalante H., Roberto; y Zarina Estrada Fernández. 1993. Textos y gramática del Pima Bajo. Hermosillo: Universidad de Sonora.
Pennington, Campbell W. 1979. Vocabulario en la lengua névome; the Pima Bajo of central Sonora, Mexico, Volume II. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press.

Seri
Moser, Mary B. and Stephen A. Marlett, compilers. 2005. Comcáac quih yaza quih hant ihíip hac: Diccionario seri-español-inglés. Hermosillo, Sonora and Mexico City: Universidad de Sonora and Plaza y Valdés
Editores.

Loanwords in Seri: the data. © 2007 Stephen A. Marlett. page 7 rev. 7/12/2007
Southeastern Tepehuan
Willett, Thomas L. 1991. A reference grammar of Southeastern Tepehuan. Dallas: Summer Institute of Linguistics and University of Texas at Arlington.

Yaqui
Dedrick, John M. and Eugene H. Casad. 1999. Sonora Yaqui language structures. Tucson: University of Arizona Press.
Estrada Fernández, Zarina et al. 2004. Diccionario yaqui-español y textos: obra de preservación lingüística. Hermosillo and México, D.F.: Universidad de Sonora and Plaza y Valdés Editores.
Johnson, Jean B. 1962. El idioma yaqui. México, D.F. Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia.
Molina, Felipe S. and David Leedom Shaul. 1993. A concise Yoeme and English dictionary. Tucson, Arizona: Tucson Unified School District.

Loanwords in Seri: the data. © 2007 Stephen A. Marlett. page 8 rev. 7/12/2007