Mahican VTI Conjunct Basics and Changed Mode

VTIs conjugate into the conjunct mode exactly like VAIs and VOTIs.

Consonant ending VTIs include a large number of class 1a and class 1b verbs by virtue of the class markers (-am) and (-um) VAIOs with stems which end in consonants conjugate conjunct mode forms exactly like consonant ending VAIs.

The class markers -am and -um add the 3rd person ending -k forming a nasal cluster (amk) and umk. By sound law the nasal component drops and the ending becomes -ak and -uk respectively.

The class markers interact with X subject ending -umuk such that -am-umuk coalesces to -ammuk or more simply: -amuk. The same process with the class marker -um yields -umuk.

VTI Conjunct – Consonant stems

Form (—)am (—)um (consonant stem)
1st sg (—)am-ah (—)um-ah (consonant stem)-ah
2nd sg (—)am-an (—)um-an (consonant stem)-an
3rd sg (—)ak (—)uk (consonant stem)uk
1st pl (exclusive) (—)am-aak (—)um-aak (consonant stem)-aak
12 pl (inclusive) (—)am-akw (—)um-akw (consonant stem)-akw
2nd pl (—)am-aakw (—)um-aakw (consonant stem)-aakw
3rd pl (—)am-htiit (—)um-htiit (consonant stem)-htiit
x subj (—)amuk (—)umuk (consonant stem)-umuk

Example: ąąyąątam vti1a he wants s.t.

aatanih-ąąyąątamah
aatanih-ąąyąątaman   
aatanih-ąąyąątak 
aatanih-ąąyąątamaak
aatanih-ąąyąątamakw
aatanih-ąąyąątamaakw   
aatanih-ąąyąątamhtiit  
aatanih-ąąyąątamuk

X Subject Forms

One may use the forms ending in -umuk in which case the final m of the class marker merges with the ending -umuk as explained earlier.
A ‘derived passive’ form conjugated into conjunct mode could be used however. ‘Derived’ refers to the process of using part of one word to construct a new word. This process was described earlier and will be briefly reviewed below:

Derived passive verbs may be constructed by adding (-ąąθii) on the main part on the vti stem:

Aąyąątam. 
He wants it
Removal of the class marker (am) gives up the stem. 
(ąąyąąt) + (ąąθii) + (w) = derived passive vii

Aąyąątąąθuw.  
It is wanted.  
(indicative mode vii) 

Aatanih-ąąyąątąąθiik. 
When it is wanted. 
(vii conjunct mode)  

Aatanih-ąąyąątamuk 
When it is wanted. 
(vti conjunct mode)

 

Vowel Ending Stems

Vowel ending stems include verbs ending in (ii) such as the vaio:

Míichuw. 
He eats something.  

Also there are the numerous VTI class2 stems which end in (aa). The (aa) class marker formerly used the class marker (aw) in all conjunct forms except before the 3rd personal plural ending (-htiit), and before the conjunct negative suffixes. Older Mahican texts written by John Sergeant used the aw marker but by the time of Aupaumut these verbs were conjugated as if they were stable stems ending in aa

VAIOs with vowel endings behave, for conjugation purposes in conjunct order, like VAIs. The paradigm for all these vowel endings will be reproduced below, and it is identical to the chart from the VAI Conjunct chapter.

Vowel ending stems insert (y) before the non 3rd person conjunct endings which all start with a vowel.

miichii + ah => (miichii)-y-aan => míichuyah  

The (y) induces modifications to the stem vowel as follows:  
    (ii) + (y) => uy    (ąą) + (y) => ąąy    (aa) + y => ay  

All other conjunct endings are added directly to the verb stem

=> (---) - (t)  
=> (---) - (htiit)  
=> (---) - (muk) for the X subject

 

VTI/VAIO Conjunct – Vowel stems

The paradigm below illustrates a VTI/VAIO with a stem ending in (aa).

Basic paradigm Meaning
(stem)-ay-ah I —
(stem)-ay-an You —
(stem)-aa-t He or She —
(stem)-ay-aak We — (inclusive)
(stem)-ay-akw We — (exclusive)
(stem)-ay-aakw You (pl) —
(stem)-a-htiit They —
(stem)-aa-muk There is —

 

VTI/VAIO Conjunct – Vowel stems

The paradigm below illustrates a VTI/VAIO with a stem ending in (ąą).

Basic paradigm Meaning
(stem)-ąąy-ah I —
(stem)-ąąy-an You —
(stem)-ąą-t He or She —
(stem)-ąąy-aak We — (inclusive)
(stem)-ąąy-akw We — (exclusive)
(stem)-ąąy-aakw You (pl) —
(stem)-a-htiit They —
(stem)-ąą-muk There is —

 

 

VTI/VAIO Conjunct – Vowel stems

The paradigm below illustrates a VTI/VAIO with a stem ending in (ii).

Basic paradigm Meaning
(stem)-uy-ah I —
(stem)-uy-an You —
(stem)-ii-t He or She —
(stem)-uy-aak We — (inclusive)
(stem)-uy-akw We — (exclusive)
(stem)-uy-aakw You (pl) —
(stem)-ii-htiit They —
(stem)-ii-muk There is —

Examples to illustrate each stem type:

(1) munaaw vaio he drinks something ; (aa) stable

aatan-munáyah
aatan-munáyan
aatan-munaat
aatan-munáyaak
aatan-munáyakw
aatan-munáyaakw
aatan-munahtiit
aatan-munaamuk

uw: vaio he says it ; (ii) unstable

aatan-úyah *
aatan-úyán
aatan-iit
aatan-úyaakw
aatan-úyakw
aatan-úyaakw
aatan-íhtiit
aatan-iimuk
* or aatan-íiyah etc

pumaaw vaio-ąą shoot s.t. or s.o. ; (ąą) unstable

aatan-pumąąyah
aatan-pumąąyan
aatan-pumąąt
aatan-pumąąyaak
aatan-pumąąyakw
aatan-pumąąyaakw
aatan-pumahtiit
aatan-pumąąmuk

 

Negative VTI Conjunct

Negatives form just like the VAI conjunct negatives:

Consonant ending stems insert (oo) before the negative suffix (w)   
Regular conjunct an-endings are added to the (w).  
(w) + (k)  =>  (kw) in the 3rd sg negative conjunct  
The 3rd person plural also has the shift to (kw) word finally.  

 

VTI Negative Conjunct Mode

Vowel stem paradigm Consonant stem paradigm Meaning
ustah (vowel stem)-wah ustah (consonant stem)-oowah I — not
ustah (vowel stem)-wan ustah (consonant stem)-oowan You — not
ustah (vowel stem)-kw ustah (consonant stem)-ookw He or She — not
ustah (vowel stem)-waak ustah (consonant stem)-oowaak We (exclusive)— not
ustah (vowel stem)-wakw ustah (consonant stem)-oowakw We (inclusive)– not
ustah (vowel stem)-waakw ustah (consonant stem)-oowaakw You (pl) — not
ustah (vowel stem)-htiikw ustah wu-(consonant stem)-óhtiikw They — not
ustah —-(vowel stem)-mookw ustah —-(consonant stem)-umookw There is not —

Consonant ending examples for the negative forms:

...aanih-ustah-kwiinamoowah  
...because I didn't look for it. 

...ustah aanih-kwiinamookw  
...because he didn't look for it  

...ustah aanih-kwiinamoowakw  
...because we didn't look for it  

...ustah aanih-kwiinamohtiikw  
...because they didn't look for it    

Vowel ending examples, negative VTI conjunct:

... ustah aanih-miichíiwah  
...because I did not eat it
(unstable-ii stems  revert to (ii) before negative endings)  

... ustah aanih-waawiitaawah  
...because I do not know  it

... ustah aanih-munaawah  
...because I drink it not  

Changed VTI Conjunct Mode

The Changed Conjunct Mode is used when the action of the secondary clause co-occurs simultaneously with the action of the main clause.

This mode is characterized by a shift in the initial vowels for (ą) and (ā) called the ‘’Initial Change’‘. This change affects the preverb vowel if present.

Initial Change:

ā => aa

u => aa

ąh => āh
Aanih-kwiinak.  
While she looked for it.  
(aanih- pv  while, because + conjunct)  


Aanih-waawíitaawaakw.   
Because you (pl) knew it. 

Naakmah ahwaanŭtam aanih-kwiinamohtiikw.  
He was angry because they were not looking for it.  


Aatan-musunuk.   
When he got it.  
aatan-  pv  when,where + conjunct

Aankwih-chihkuθumah. 
You burned it somewhat.  
aankwih- pv certain amount, extent + conjunct  

Tąąn ąąm aankwih-chihkuθuk? 
How much of it did he burn?  

Anúmθuw aanih-kwiinamakw.                                                
He left while we were looking for it.  

Tąąn anukwiikw nih ąąyąątamhtiit?  
How much (strongly) do they want that?  
anukwiikw pc extent, volume, amount  

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