= Tunicas, Gallatin in Trans. and Coll. Am. Antiq. Soc., II, 115, 116,
1836 (quotes Dr. Sibley, who states they speak a distinct language).
Latham, Nat. Hist. Man, 341, 1850 (opposite mouth of Red River; quotes
Dr. Sibley as to distinctness of language).
= Tonica, Gatschet, Creek Mig. Legend, I, 39, 1884 (brief account of
tribe).
= Tonika, Gatschet in Science, 412, April 29, 1887 (distinctness as a
family asserted; the tribe calls itself Túniχka).
Derivation: From the Tonika word óni, “man,” “people;” t- is a prefix or
article; -ka, -χka a nominal suffix.
The distinctness of the Tonika language, has long been suspected, and
was indeed distinctly stated by Dr. Sibley in 1806.[98] The statement to
this effect by Dr. Sibley was quoted by Gallatin in 1836, but as the
latter possessed no vocabulary of the language he made no attempt to
classify it. Latham also dismisses the language with the same quotation
from Sibley. Positive linguistic proof of the position of the language
was lacking until obtained by Mr. Gatschet in 1886, who declared it to
form a family by itself.
[Footnote 98: President’s message, February 19, 1806.]