This mode is used for completed events that occurred prior to the time frame of the main clause.
The PV (āātanih-) ‘when’ is often used to introduce these types of sub-phrases. In the context of the changed subjunctive conjunct (āātanih-) ‘when’ can be thought of as having the meaning of ‘after that time when’ which places the conjunct phrase in the past relative to the main phrase.
"After I turned three, my Mom worked."
Sometimes āātanih– is not used, but the meaning of ‘where’ is still implied.
This mode may be used for past events that occurred prior to another past event as in the example above, or may be used for future events that will precede another event.
"When (or after) his mother arrives, he will take her to the store."
The changed subjunctive conjunct mode uses initial change and adds the modal ending -ah after the appropriate conjunct ending.
Examples
Aātanih-kawiitah, mxih wunamanuθuw.
After he slept, he used to feel very well.
Sąąwah āātan-miitθíitah sąąwah aniitahah, "kahnah wíikan."
Right away after he ate right away he thought, "wow that tasted good."
Aātan- pxāānum -mahchihnąątah wtayoom siiwāānŭtam.
When the woman died her son became sad.
mahchihnāāw vai-ąą die
Noh wāāmąąnah nŭmáwih-anahkah.
When I left from there I went working.
(wum+ah+ah)+initial change
Aātanih-payąąnah kŭmáwih-káwih.
When (or after) I came you went to sleep.
vs changed conjunct:
Káwih āātan-pąąyah.
You were sleeping when (at the time when) I came.
Nih pāāyąąyąąnah ngátāāw-míitsθih.
When I got there I wanted to eat.
(pāāyąąyąąnah is the changed subjunctive conjunct form of the verb (pāāw). In this case (āātanih-) is omitted so initial change is necessary on the verb stem (pąą) => (pāāyąą and conjunct ending are then added).
Nguk wiinamanθuw āātanih-miitθiit.
My mother got sick while she was eating. (changed conjunct, no modal ending)
Nguk wiinamanθuw āātanih-miitθiitah.
My mother got sick after she ate. (changed subjunctive conjunct, with modal ending)
‘changed conjunct’ with āātanih– tends to indicate action during the same time frame.
‘changed subjunctive conjunct’ with āātanih– indicates action in a preceding time frame for the sub-clause
(Reference Ives Goddard Delaware Verbal Morphology)
Kiisih– pv completed action
Ndanumúθih kiisih-āānkwih-pāāsuyąąnah.
I left after I waited awhile
Preferred word order follows the same pattern as locatives, the secondary (conjunct) clause tends to be stated first.