Evidence for the Temporal Stability of Cree and Chipewyan Indian Animal Names

Abstract

Following publication of my short paper on mammal and bird names in the Indian languages, Dr. C. Stuart Houston of Saskatoon kindly pointed out to me that a considerable number of Cree animal names are given in the Fauna Boreali Americana of Richardson and Swainson. As this publication is based on journeys made by Richardson in 1819-1821 and 1825-1827, whereas I collected Cree names in 1971, it is possible to compare names in use at two periods separated by an interval of approximately 150 years. Richardson travelled over most of the Cree country, from Hudson Bay to present day Alberta, while my informants were all from central or northern Alberta. Many differences in the two lists of names may therefore be due to regional, as opposed to temporal, differences; nevertheless a preponderant similarity between the old and the present-day names is evident on comparison. Richardson also listed a few Chipewyan animal names, so that a similar comparison, though on a small sample, can be made for this language as well. I have grouped the results of the comparison into three categories: names which are alike, and in many cases the same, allowing for the fact that there is often more than one way of writing the same sound for English readers; names which are cognate; and names which are different. Some examples, using Cree names only, are tabulated below. Of 23 mammals for which Cree names are given in the two sources compared, 18 were alike, 4 cognate and only one different. In the case of 42 bird names, 21 were alike, 7 cognate and 14 were different. For all 65 names the proportions are: 60% alike, 17% cognate and 23% different. The few Chipewyan names given in the Fauna Boreali-Americana make it possible to compare ten (six mammal and four bird) names with ones from my own material. Eight of these names are alike and two different. Irving, comparing Eskimo bird names in use in 1877 and 1960 in one locality, Cumberland Sound, Baffin Island, and thus eliminating the factor of regional differences, found that 92% were alike. Hisdata and that given above for two Indian languages indicate that animal names in these particular Amerindian languages are no less enduring in time than those used in languages which have writing.