Reconstruction:Proto-Algonquian/wa·poswa

This Proto-Algonquian 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.

The first part may be *wa·p- (“white”).

*wa·poswa

1. hare, rabbit

• Plains Algonquian:
  • Blackfoot: nohkowa, nohkówa (“rabbit”) (showing the shift of *w → *y → n)
  • Arapaho: nóóku (“rabbit, hare”) (showing the shift of *w → *y → n)
  • Cheyenne: vóóhe (“rabbit”) (vóhkóóhe (“rabbit”))
• Central Algonquian:
  • Cree: wâpos/ᐚᐳᐢ (waapos, “rabbit”), wapôs (“rabbit”)
    • Plains Cree: wâpos, ᐚᐳᐢ (“rabbit, hare”)
    • Moose Cree: wâpošw, ᐙᐳᔥᐤ (“rabbit, hare”)
    • Northern East Cree: waapush, ᐧᐋᐳᔥ (yaaposh, “rabbit, hare, Lepus americanus”)
    • Southern East Cree: waapush, ᐧᐋᐳᔥ (yaaposh, “snowshoe hare, Lepus americanus”)
    • Atikamekw: wapoc (“rabbit”)
    • Montagnais: uapush
  • Ojibwe: waabooz (“rabbit, snowshoe hare, Lepus americanus”)
  • Potawatomi: wabozo (“snowshoe hare”)
  • Menominee: wāpos
  • Miami: waapanswa
• Eastern Algonquian:
  • Mi'kmaq: wapus (“hare, rabbit”)

• Philip Baldi, Linguistic Change and Reconstruction Methodology →ISBN, 1990)