Noun Plurals
| Noun Gender | Plural Ending |
|---|---|
| Inanimate | (noun) + (al) |
| Animate | (noun) + (ak) |
Demonstrative pronouns
Demonstrative pronouns are words that represent nouns. They can be used alone or with a noun in which case they reinforce the noun with extra emphasis. The pronoun must match the status of noun gender and plurality.
| Animate Demonstrative Pronouns | |
|---|---|
| ya ; wa ; wan | this |
| yook | these |
| na ; nan | that |
| niik | those |
| Inanimate Demonstrative Pronouns | |
|---|---|
| yu ; yoon | this |
| yool | these |
| nu ; nun | that |
| niil | those |
Demonstrative pronouns may be used to point out objects:
| Wan ha …. | This is a …. + (animate noun) |
| Yook ha …. | These are …. + (animate plural noun) |
| Yoon ha …. | This is a … + (inanimate noun) |
| Yool ha …. | These are …. + (inanimate plural noun) |
| Na ha … | That is a … + (animate noun) |
| Niik ha … | Those are …. + (animate plural noun) |
| Nu ha … | That is a …. + (inanimate noun) |
| Niil ha … | Those are …. + (inanimate plural noun) |
A demonstrative pronoun must be in the obviative when it is used to represent an obviative noun.
| Non Obviative | Obviative |
|---|---|
| wa, wan | yool |
| yook | yool |
| na,nan | niil |
| niik | niil |
Personal Pronouns
| Pronoun | Uses |
|---|---|
| nii | me,my,I |
| kii | you, your |
| neeka | him,her;his,her;he,she |
| niilóona | us,our,we |
| kiilóona | us,our,we |
| kiilóowa | your,ye |
| neekáawa | their,them,they |
Animate Possessive Nouns
| Possessor | Possessed Quantity = One | Possessed Quantity = More than One |
|---|---|---|
| my: | nu-(stem)-um | nu-(stem)-um-ak |
| your: | ku-(stem)-um | ku-(stem)-um-ak |
| his or her: | wu-(stem)-um-al (obviative) | wu-(stem)-um-al (obviative) |
| our (excl) | nu-(stem)-um-una | nu-(stem)-um-una |
| our (incl) | ku-(stem)-um-una | ku-(stem)-um-una |
| your: | ku-(stem)-um-uwa | ku-(stem)-um-uwa |
| their: | wu-(stem)-um-uwaawal | wu-(stem)-um-uwaawal |
Inanimate Possessive Nouns
| Possessor | Possessed Quantity = One | Possessed Quantity = More than One |
|---|---|---|
| my: | nu-(stem)-um | nu-(stem)-um-al |
| your: | ku-(stem)-um | ku-(stem)-um-al |
| his or her: | wu-(stem)-um | wu-(stem)-um-al |
| our (excl) | nu-(stem)-um-una | nu-(stem)-um-una |
| our (incl) | ku-(stem)-um-una | ku-(stem)-um-una |
| your: | ku-(stem)-um-uwa | ku-(stem)-um-uwa |
| their: | wu-(stem)-um-uwa | wu-(stem)-um-uwa |
Diminutive Noun Paradigms
| Noun Inflection | Paradigm |
|---|---|
| diminutive | (noun stem) – (ush) |
| diminutive pl animate | (noun stem) – (ush)-(ak) |
| diminutive pl inanimate | (noun stem) – (ush)-(al) |
| diminutive obviative | (noun stem) – (ush)-(al) |
| possessed diminutive | (noun stem) – (ush)-(um)* |
| possessed dimin. pl animate | (noun stem) – (ush)(um)(ak)* |
| possessed dimin. pl inanimate | (noun stem) – (ush)(um)(al)* |
*(use (um) only on nouns which take the (um) possessive suffix)
Contraction rules for (ush)
| Morphemes | Contracted form |
|---|---|
| (ay) + (ush) | (eesh) |
| (uy) + (ush) | (iish) |
| (uw) + (ush) | (oosh) |
Contraction rules for (ung)
| Morphemes | Contracted form |
|---|---|
| (ay) + (ung) | (eeng) |
| (uy) + (ung) | (iing) |
| (uw) + (ung) | (oong) |
Locative Noun Paradigms
| Noun Inflection | Paradigm |
|---|---|
| locative | (noun stem) – (ung) |
| dimin. locative sg or pl | (noun stem) – (ush)-(ung) |
| possessed locative | (noun stem) – (um)*-(ung) |
| possessed dimin. locative | (noun stem) – (ush)-(um)-(ung)* |
| plural possessor locative | (noun stem)-(uwaaw)-ung** |
| collective possessor | (noun stem)-(unaan)-ung** |
*(um) is only used on nouns known to use the (um) possessive suffix
Hierarchy of Noun Inflections
| Prefixes | Stem type | Dimin | Possessive | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ak or al | ||||
| nu | ung | |||
| ku | NOUN | ush | um | al (obv) |
| wu | aya | |||
| aa | ||||
| took |