Mahican VTA Conjunct

VTA verbs have conjunct forms corresponding to Direct, Inverse, Local (You-Me, Me-You) and Passive construction patterns.

Conjunct forms do not use prefixes. The endings indicate who is participating in the action.

The VTA conjunct has the same four modes as other verb types:

Changed Conjunct (CC)   
VTA specific conjunct endings, with initial change   
(a => aa  u=> aa)  

Changed Subjunctive Conjunct (CSC) mode   
adds (-ah) to the endings, with initial change.  

Subjunctive Conjunct Mode (CC)  
Adds  (-ah) to regular conjunct endings but without initial change 

Participles   
VTA specific conjunct endings, with initial change  

This chapter assumes one has become familiar with the various modes of the conjunct from the study of prior chapters. Examples of conjugated forms using all conjunct modes will be provided. There will be a separate chapter dedicated to the VTA participles however. The bulk of this chapter will be devoted to the manner of forming VTA conjunct forms.

VTA Direct Conjunct

The conjunct endings for VTAs in direct mode are called the at’ endings. The (ąą) direction marker is found in all but the the 2nd person forms, and in all the negative conjunct forms.

Basic paradigm Meaning
(stem)-ąąyah I — him
(stem)-at You — him
(stem)-ąąt He or She — him
(stem)-ąąyaak We — (exclusive) — him
(stem)-ąąyakw We — (inclusive) — him
(stem)-ąąyaakw You (pl) — him
(stem)-ąhtiit They — him
(stem)-ąąmuk — him

When used as conjunct verbs (not participles) these forms are the same for a sg and pl object (him, her, them).

Naawaaw vta see s.o.

naawąąyah
naawat
naawąąt
naawąąyaak
naawąąyakw
naawąąyaakw
naawáhtiit
x  naawąąmuk

Examples

Nhah Mbąąn aatan-nąąt.
I came when he was talking to him.
(changed conjunct)

Aatan-naawąąyah naakmah wuθkiinúwuw.  
When I saw him he was a young man.  
(changed subjunctive conjunct)   

Wąąk mbah ngataaw-naawąąyąąnah.  
I'll be back if I want to see him.  
(subjunctive conjunct)  

Note that the 3rd person non participle conjunct forms do not use obviative or plural endings. The vta 3rd person conjunct forms can use plural and obviative endings however this only occurs when a conjunct form is used as a participle in which case the participle adds proximate plural endings if required to fit the plural status of the head of the participle when it is proximate but the endings will be obviative if the head of the participle is obviative.

The man loves her (obv), the one (obv) he was looking for. 
Niimanaaw wtahwąąnąąn kwiinawąąchih. 

The man (prox), he (prox) who loves her, is looking for her (obv).
Niimanaaw ahwąąnąąt wkwinawąąn.

The man loves them (pl obv), the ones (pl obv) he was with. 
Niimanaaw wtahwąąnąąwąą wiichaawąąchii.

The man (prox) is he who seeks them (prox), the loved ones (pl obv)
Niimanaaw kwiinawąąt ahwąąnąąchii. 

Who is he who Redeems them - the ones who are  elected by God?  (HA21Q)
Awaanii=k nah pahkwąąxkunąąt Pahtamawąąs nootnąąchii?  

VTA Negative Conjunct Mode – Direct

Paradigm Meaning
ustah (stem)-ąąwah I — him not
ustah (stem)-ąąwat You — him not
ustah (stem)-ąąkw He or She — him not
ustah (stem)-ąąwaak We — him not (exclusive)
ustah (stem)-ąąwakw We — him not (inclusive)
ustah (stem)-ąąwaakw You (pl) — him not
ustah (stem)-ąhtiikw They — him not
ustah (stem)ąąmookw — him not

Examples:

ustah naawąąwah   
ustah naawąąwat
ustah naawąąkw     
ustah naawąąwaakw
ustah naawąąwakw
ustah naawahtiikw
x  ustah naawąąmookw

(stem)-(ąą) + (w) + (conjunct ending)
Note the 3rd person negatives (-ąąkw) and (-ąhtiikw)
(wk) word final clusters shift to =>(kw)


Nhah mbąąn aatan- ustah -nąąkw.
I came when he was not talking to him.
(changed conjunct)

Aatan- ustah -kwiinawąąwah ustah naakmah wuθkiinúwiiwih.  
When I did not seek him he was not a young man.  
(changed subjunctive conjunct)   

Wąąk=chih ustah mbąąw ngataaw- ustah -naawąąwąąnah.  
I'll won't be be back if I do not want to see him.  
(subjunctive conjunct)  

VTA Conjunct Local Me-You Forms

The You-Me and Me-You conjunct forms use the (ii) theme sign followed by the ‘an’ endings, the same ones used for the VAI conjunct.
Forms using the direction marker (ii) form the conjunct as if they were VAIs ending in (ii) and those using the marker (un) conjugate as if a consonant ending VAI.

Participants Paradigm Negative Paradigm
I —— you (stem)-un-an ustah (stem)-un-oowan
I —— you pl (stem)-un-aakw ustah (stem)-un-oowaakw
We —-you (stem)-un-akw ustah (stem)-un-oowakw
We —- you pl (stem)-un-akw ustah (stem)-un-oowakw

Examples

Naawŭnan.              
I see you.

Naawŭnaakw.            
I see you (pl).

Naawŭnakw.           
We see you or you (pl).

Ustah naawŭnóowan.       
I see you not.

Ustah naawŭnóowaakw.     
I see you (pl) not.

Ustah naawŭnóowakw    
We see you or you (pl) not.


Nhah pąąn aatan-naawunan.  
He came when I saw you.  
(changed conjunct)  


Aatan-naawunaakwah kooθkiinuwihmah.  
When I saw you (pl), you (pl) were young men.  
(changed subjunctive conjunct)   

Wąąk nhah mbąąnaanah ngátaaw-naawŭnakwah.   
We'll be back if we want to see you.  
(subjunctive)  

VTA Conjunct Local You-Me Forms

The direction marker (ii) requires an intercalated (y) before the vowel initial conjunct endings (an) (akw) and (aakw). The vowels shift as usual:
(ii) + (y) + (an) => (uyan)

Participants Paradigm Negative Paradigm
You — me (stem)-uyan ustah (stem)-iiwan
You (pl) — me (stem)-uyaakw ustah (stem)-iiwaakw
You — us (stem)-uyakw ustah (stem)-iiwakw
You (pl) — us (stem)-uyakw ustah (stem)-iiwakw
Naawŭyan.          
You see me.  

Naawŭyaakw.            
You see me.  

Naawŭyakw.           
You or ye see me.   

ustah naawíiwan.      
You see me not.  

ustah naawíiwaakw.        
You (pl) see me not.  

ustah naawíiwakw.      
You or you (pl) see me not.

The Mahican conjunct has special forms other than inverse forms to express ‘he-me’ and ‘they-me’.

VTA Conjunct He-Me Forms

Participants Paradigm Negative Paradigm Plural participle
He — me (stem)-ii-t ustah (stem)-ii-kw (stem)-ii-chiik
Naawiit.            
He sees me.

Ustah naawiikw.       
He sees me not.

These ‘additional forms’ using the direction marker (ii) will be repeated further down in the charts for the conjunct inverse forms, where this form uses (ii) as an alternative to the form built with the (ukw) direction marker. The inanimate version of the form, it – me is formed as expected with (ukw) + (ah) The direction marker (ii) should still be considered an inverse marker for obviation marking purposes.

VTA Animate and Inanimate Subject Inverse Conjunct Mode

Paradigm Meaning
(stem)-ukwah He, it, or they — me
(stem)-ukwan He, it, or they — you
(stem)-ukwuk He, it, or they — him / her
(stem)-ukwaak He, it, or they — us (exclusive)
(stem)-ukwakw he,they;it,they — us (inclusive)
(stem)-ukwaakw He, it, or they — you (pl)
(stem)-ukwhtiit He, it, or they — them

Naawaaw vta see s.o.

Naawŭkwah.  
He saw me. 

Naawiit.    
He saw me. (alternate local inverse form)

Naawŭkwąąnah.  
If he saw me.  (with modal ending)


Naawŭkwan.         
He saw you.

Naawŭkwuk.         
He (obv) saw him.
Naawŭkwakw.           
He saw us.

Naawŭkwaakw.            
He saw you (pl).  

Naawŭkwhtiit.         
He (obv) saw them.  

Other examples
skwusaaw vta cut, carve s.o.

Skwusukwąąnah. 
If it cuts me. 
Aatanih-paasookwąąnah ngataaw-anumθih.  
When he brought me I wanted to leave.  
(changed subjunctive conjunct)  

Naawíitah numawih-anumθih.  
If he sees me I am going to leave.   

Negative inverse mode conjunct forms are formed regularly:
(ukw)+(oo-w-ah) => ukoowah
(ukw)+(oo-w-uk) => ukookw => ukookw

The weak (u) in ukw often drops when preceded by long vowel.

VTA Negative Animate and Inanimate Subject Inverse Conjunct Mode

Paradigm Meaning
ustah (stem)-ukoowah He, it, or they — me not
ustah (stem)-ukoowan He, it, or they — you not
ustah (stem)-ukookw He, it, or they — him / her not
ustah (stem)-ukoowaak He, it, or they — us not (exclusive)
ustah (stem)-ukoowakw He, it, or they — us not (inclusive)
ustah (stem)-ukoowaakw He, it, or they — you (pl) not
ustah (stem)-ukwhtiikw He, it, or they — them not

Naawaaw vta see s.o.


Ustah naawŭkóowah or ustah naawiikw  
Ustah naawŭkóowan  
Ustah naawŭkookw  
Ustah naawŭkóowaak
Ustah naawŭkóowakw  
Ustah naawŭkóowaakw  
Ustah naawŭkwhtiikw  

Aatanih- ustah -kwiinąąkoowąąnah ngataaw-anumθih.  
When he did not look for me I wanted to leave.  
(changed subjunctive conjunct)  
Ustah numawih-nąąw aatan- ustah - nukoowąąn.  
I am not going to talk to her when she doesn't talk to me.   
(changed conjunct)  

Ustah naawíikwah numawih-anumθih.  
If he does not see me I will want to leave.   

VTA Indefinite Subject Conjunct Mode

Indefinite subject forms for the VTA conjunct form regularly using (ukaa) followed by conjunct endings of the ‘an’ endings set with appropriate morphosyntatic modifications. These are the same endings used for the VAI conjunct.

ukaa + an endings (ukaa + y + an = ukayan)

As is the case for the indicative mode passives, the 3rd person forms are formed using the X form of the direct mode paradigm: (stem)-(umuk).

Paradigm Meaning
(stem)-ukayah I was —-
(stem)-ukayan You were —-
(stem)-ąąmuk He was —-
(stem)-ukayaak We (exclusive) were —-
(stem)-ukayakw We (inclusive) were —-
(stem)-ukayaakw You (pl) were —-
(stem)-ąąmuk They were —–
Naawŭkáyah.  
I was seen. 

Naawŭkáyan.                
You were seen.  

Naawąąmuk.                    
He was seen.  

Naawŭkáyakw.         
We were seen.  (inclusive)

Naawŭkáyaakw.          
You (pl) were seen  

Naawąąmuk                    
They were seen.  

Muskąąkayąąnah.   
If I am found.  

VTA Negative Indefinite Subject Conjunct Mode

Paradigm Meaning
ustah (stem)-ukaawah I was not —-
ustah (stem)-ukaawan You were not —-
ustah (stem)-ąąmookw He was not —-
ustah (stem)-ukaawaak We (exclusive) were not —-
ustah (stem)-ukaawakw We (inclusive) were not —-
ustah (stem)-ukaawaakw You (pl) were not —-
ustah (stem)-ąąmookw They were not —–
Ustah naawŭkaawah
Ustah naawŭkaawan  
Ustah naawąąmookw
Ustah naawŭkaawaak
Ustah naawŭkaawakw  
Ustah naawŭkaawaakw  
Ustah naawąąmookw

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