Wikimore

This Proto-Athabaskan entry contains reconstructed terms 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-Athabaskan

Etymology

Related to a verbal root *ɣyən, *ŷən, whence the verb *də-yin (“to be a shaman, make medicine”).

Within the larger Na-Dene family, related to Tlingit at shí (“singing”) (verbal noun),^[1] and Eyak xiˑl (“shaman”).

Has also been compared with Ket сенаӈ (sʲɛ́naŋ, “shaman”), via Proto-Yeniseian *-xejn (“to shamanize”).

Noun

*xʸənCategory:Proto-Athabaskan lemmas#XʸƏN Category:Proto-Athabaskan nouns#XʸƏN Category:Proto-Athabaskan entries with incorrect language header#XʸƏN Category:Pages with entries#XʸƏN Category:Pages with 1 entry#XʸƏN

spiritual power, medicine

Descendants

Northern Athabaskan:
- Ahtna: sen
- Dogrib: sı̨
- Lower Tanana: senh
- Slavey:
  - South Slavey: shį
- Tanacross: deshen
Southern Athabaskan:
- Navajo: sin
- Western Apache: sįh

References

↑ Twitchell, X̱ʼunei Lance (2020), Tlingit Online Dictionary, Juneau, Alaska: Independently published, supported by Goldbelt Heritage Foundation and the University of Alaska Southeast, →ISBN, pages 12, 204

Young, Robert; Morgan, William; Midgette, Sally (1992), Analytical lexicon of Navajo, Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, →ISBN, page 718
Leer, Jeff (1996), Comparative Athabaskan Lexicon‎, volume xy-yE, Alaska Native Language Archive, pages 56-58a
Kari, James et al. (2024), Kari, James, editor, Lower Tanana Dene Dictionary, Fairbanks, Alaska: Alaska Native Language Center, →ISBN, page 469

[1] Twitchell, X̱ʼunei Lance (2020), Tlingit Online Dictionary, Juneau, Alaska: Independently published, supported by Goldbelt Heritage Foundation and the University of Alaska Southeast, →ISBN, pages 12, 204

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