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The meanings of most of the eastern names are lost; yet so far as they are
preserved they are of a kind with those of the interior. So, too, are the
subtribal names enumerated by Dorsey.
PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS
PHONETIC AND GRAPHIC ARTS
The Siouan stock is defined by linguistic characters. The several tribes
and larger and smaller groups speak dialects so closely related as to
imply occasional or habitual association, and hence to indicate community
in interests and affinity in development; and while the arts (reflecting
as they did the varying environment of a wide territorial range) were
diversified, the similarity in language was, as is usual, accompanied by
similarity in institutions and beliefs. Nearly all of the known dialects
are eminently vocalic, and the tongues of the plains, which have been most
extensively studied, are notably melodious; thus the leading languages of
the group display moderately high phonetic development. In grammatic
structure the better-known dialects are not so well developed; the
structure is complex, chiefly through the large use of inflection, though
agglutination sometimes occurs. In some cases the germ of organization is
found in fairly definite juxtaposition or placement. The vocabulary is
moderately rich, and of course represents the daily needs of a primitive
people, their surroundings, their avocations, and their thoughts, while
expressing little of the richer ideation of cultured cosmopolites.
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