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'iswet. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
'iswet, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
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Cahuilla
Etymology
'isill (“coyote”) + -wet (“big”)
Noun
'íswet
- A large carnivore, either a wolf or a jaguar
Usage notes
- This animal has not been seen in Cahuilla territory within living memory, but is still important in old stories. Some translate this as mountain lion, but the word is related to 'isill (“coyote”), and there is already a word for mountain lion (tukwet) related in the same way to tukut (“bobcat”). In two checklists by naturalist C. Hart Merriam from field interviews, "Jaguar" is written in by hand; in the second one, 'Jaguar ("Tiger")' is written. Jaguars are known to have formerly lived in California, so it's possible that an inherited word for wolf and the stories connected with it were transferred to another large carnivore in the absence of real wolves.
References
- ^ C. Hart Merriam with Frank Albers (1934) Robert F. Heizer, editor, C. Hart Merriam papers relating to work with California Indians, 1850-1974. (bulk 1898-1938), Schedule 106: Field Check Lists: Pow´-we Cahuilla: Cahuilla Valley: Frank Albers, June 1, 1933, (full blood), page 191
- ^ C. Hart Merriam (1934) Robert F. Heizer, editor, C. Hart Merriam papers relating to work with California Indians, 1850-1974. (bulk 1898-1938), Schedule 106: Field Check Lists: "Cahuilla"=Pow´-we-am: Cahuilla Valley, Calif.: June 1910, June 1933, 1934, page 221