Commands are formed like the VAIs and VOTis.
Commands or requests may be formulated and verbs conjugated for this purpose are said to be in the imperative mode.
Commands have an implied animate subject: you – you (plural) -we (you and I) – we (all of us).
Different endings indicate which subject is being used for the command.
No personal prefixes are needed or used in this mode.
Mahican has endings to contruct delayed imperatives which are commands that pertain to a future time.
The VTI class markers -am and -um remain attached to the main stem in the imperative, but are phonologically reworked in some forms.
VAIOs conjugate like VAIs, and it is to be noted that verbs with unstable stems do not shift vowels in the imperative.
CLass 1a VTIs : (stem-am) + (h) = (stem-ah)
Class 1b VTIs : (stem-um) + (h) = (ih)
Other consonant ending stems add (ih
VTI / VAIO Imperative
Stem Type | 2nd sg (you) | 2nd pl (you pl) | 1+2 (Let’s, you and I) | 12p (Let’s, all of us) |
---|---|---|---|---|
(VTI1a)-am | (stem)-ah | (stem)-am-ookw | (stem)-am-ootąąw | (stem)-am-ootookw |
(VTI1b)-um | (stem)-ih | (stem)-um-ookw | (stem)-um-ootąąw | (stem)-um-ootookw |
(VTI2)-aa | (stem)-ah | (stem)-aakw | (stem)-aatąąw | (stem)-aatookw |
(vowel stem) | (stem)-h | (stem)-kw | (stem)-tąąw | (stem)-tookw |
(consonant stem) | (stem)-ih | (stem)-ookw | (stem)-ootąąw | (stem)-ootookw |
VTI Delayed Imperative Mode
The delayed imperative mode is used for commands that should be carried out at a later time.
2nd person sg and pl forms exist.
Subject | VTI (vowel stem) | VTI (consonant stem) |
---|---|---|
2nd sg (You) | (—-)-mah | (—-)-oomah |
2nd pl (You pl) | (—-)-maakw | (—-)-oomaakw |
VTI / VAIO Prohibitive Mode
The prohibitive mode is used for commands of the type, ‘thou shalt not’ or ‘Do not’ and represent the negative form of the imperative mode
Negative commands or prohibitive statements use modified endings which include the negative suffix (oo)(w)(ii)
One of the prohibitive particles: chih, chiin, chiinih precedes negative commands in this mode. Chiin is like saying “don’t.”
Unspoken Subject | Paradigm |
---|---|
2nd sg (You) | chiin (—)han |
2nd pl (You pl) | chiin (—)haakw |
As always, in vowel ending stems the final long vowel shortens before the h of -han or -haakw
Examples:
ahsąąnaaw vaio-s throw or cast s.t. or s.o. out (Matt7.5)
Ahsąąnah. Cast it aside.
Ahsąąnaakw. Cast it aside. (you pl)
Ahsąąnaamah. Cast it aside later.
Ahsąąnaamaakw. Cast it aside later. (you pl)
Ahsąąnaatąąw. Let's cast it aside, you and I.
Ahsąąnaatookw. Let's cast it aside.
Chiin ahsąąnahan. Don't cast it aside.
Chiin ahsąąnahaakw, Don't cast it aside. (you pl)
akiitam vti1a read s.t. (s38)
Akiitah. Read, count it. (s16)(s114)
Akiitamookw. Read, count it. (you pl)
Akiitamoomah. Read, count it later. (s16)(s114)
Akiitamoomaakw. Read, count it later. (you pl)
Akiitamootąąw. Let's read it. (you and I)
Akiitamootookw. Let's read it.
Chiin akiitamhan. Don't read it.
Chiin akiitamhaakw. Don't read it. (you pl)
amanum vti1b take s.t. away
Amanih. Take it away. (s137)
Amanumookw. Take it away. (you pl)
Amanumoomah. Take it away later. (s137)
Amanumoomaakw. Take it away later. (you pl)
Amanumootąąw. Let's take it away. (you and I)
Amanumootookw. Let's take it away.
Chiin amanumhan. Don't take it away.
Chiin amanumhaakw. Don't take it away. (you pl)
Imperative using the subordinative mode:
Use of the subordinative mode denotes a mild suggestion.
Although the interpretation is that of a command, these forms use a prefix and endings appropriate for the participant who is the object of the command.
Thus, these forms may be used for commands which specify another person who is involved. Negative forms are also prefixed and do not use a negative verb ending.
Nŭmíichiin.
Let me eat it.
Numiichiinaanah.
Let us eat.
Chiin kumiichiin. Don't eat it.
Injunctive Commands using Conjunct Mode
Uses a 3rd person conjunct form without initial change and a modified ending, the injunctive suffix -ch to form third person commands.
Consonant stems add -(u)ch instead of the usual conjunct ending.
miichuw eat s.t.
Miichíich.
Let him eat it.
ahtaaw put s.t. there
Ahtaach. Let him put it there. (injunctive command) (s90)
nąątunum take s.t. (s137)
Nąątunuch. Let him take it.
Extended list of examples:
anahtaaw vti2 lose s.t. (s94)
Chih anahtaakw. Don’t (you pl) lose it. (s94)
Chih ktunahtaan. Don’t lose it.
ahtaaw vti2 put s.t. there (TM24) (P mlh30)
Ahtah ahkiik. Put it on the ground. (s124)
Ahtah paniiwih. Put it away, throw it away. (s124)=(s35)=(s113)
akunahum vti1b divide s.t., serve s.t. (s58)
Akunahih. Divide it. serve it out.
anąąhaaw vaio-s throw something. (TMI)
Chiin anąąhahaakw. Don’t throw (it) {somewhere} (you pl.)!(Goddard2008)(Matt7.6)
anaanŭtam vti1a let s.t. (Ps19.14)(Matt5.16)
Anaanŭtah niin ndąąptoonaawąąkanan ndoon waach- ąąm -wawiikihnąąyan.
Let the words of my mouth be pleasing to you. (Ps19.4)
Anaanŭtamookw niin kuwąąθnaaniikanuwąąn.
Let (pl) your lights shine. (Matt5.16)
anawahtaaw vti2 gather s.t.
Paashkwunookw anawahtaakw mahtąąxan nah.
Gather the wood together (s152)
asunahtahum vti1b attach s.t. strongly (s77)
Asunahtahih ktahkwahiikanuwah.
Nail them on strongly, your (pl) nails. (s77)
chachapunum vti1b divide, distribute, share, serve s.t.
Chachapunih. Distribute it. (s58)
chiikham vti1a sweep s.t.
Chiikhah. Sweep it out. (s16 11)(s136)
Anna chiikhah wiikwahm. Anna sweep the house. (s136)
Chiikhamookw. Sweep it out. 2pl imp
kakiikwashaaw vaio-s blow one’s nose, snort (s42)
Kakiikwashah. Blow your nose. (s42)
katąątam vti1a be diligent about s.t., do s.t. promptly, with haste
Katąątamookw niitahkanak. Let's be diligent my brothers. (s86)
katuwaaw vaio-s deny, retract s.t.
Katuwaatąąw. Lets deny it.
kpaham vti1a close s.t., shut s.t. (s49)
Kpahah. Close it. (s23 71)(Sw212-j.)
Kpahah θkwąątaam. Close the door. (Sw212-j.)
ksiixtaaw vti2 wash, clean s.t. (IG ) (Prince) (kshiixtaaw) (P mlh30)
Ksiixtah ndahaamut. Wash my shirt (s125)
ksiixŭnum vti1b clean, wipe s.t. (kshiixunum)
Ksiixnih kahkiiwan. Wipe, clean your nose (s103)
Ksiixnih ahkwakwanah paxkiikan. Clean the gun of rust. (s117)
kununum vti1b carry, hold s.t. (P mlh29) (s137)(s47)
Kununih. Take it. (s137)
kunustam vti1a listen to s.t.
Kunustamookw. Listen (you pl) to it. (s79)
kwsihtaaw vti2 swallow, gulp, drink down s.t. (s135)
Kwsihtah. Swallow it.
kwtahtam vti1a taste s.t. (Ps 5.4)
Kwtąhtah=kah. So taste it. (s137)
kwunupunum vti1b turn s.t. around, turn s.t. over (s143)
Kwunupunih. Turn it around.
kxanawąątam vti1a pay attention, keep, retain, remember s.t. (letters, verses etc) (HA56)(HA63)
Kxanawąątah. Keep it, retain it, remember it. re: a word, verse or letter (s87) (mod add k-)
kxanawihtaaw vaio-s provide, care for s.t. or s.o. (s47)(TM11)
Kuyanaaw (ka)xanawihtaatąąw. (s47) Let’s take care.
mamatahaaw vaio-s sound, ring s.t. (s131)
Tawtaw mamtahah. Sound the bell. (s131)
mchiimham vti1a lock, close s.t. up (s49)
Mchiimhah kahnih. Lock it up securely. (s49)
miis’ham vti1a sew s.t., patch s.t. (Sw13) (miish’ham)
Kumiis'hamun. Fix your shoes. (s107) subordinative command
mihkanum vti1b make room for something
Mihkanih. Make room. (s116)
msąątam vti1a think about s.t.; remember s.t. (s140) (mshąątam)(TM12)(HA56) (Prince)
Kumąąmshąątamun anih. You must think about it. (s140)
nąąpham vti1a string s.t., lace s.t. up. thread s.t.
Nąąphah. String it. (wampum) (s124)=(s15)
nąątum vti1b fetch, get s.t. (TM16) (s65)
Nąątih. Fetch it. (s19 42)
Mahtąąxan nih kunąątum. You must fetch the wood (s152) subordinative command
nąątunum vti1b take s.t. (s137)
Nąątunih. Take it! (s137) (IG)
Nąątunih nih tąąn waatunuman. Take what you like. (s137)
Nąątunumookw wchuwahtaaw. Take (pl) it, it is full.
Kunąątunumnaawah. You (pl) take it . (P mlh32)
naawanam vti1a bend s.t.
Naawanah. Bend it. (Jefferson)
nanamahaaw vaio-s ring, sound s.t. (of a bell)
Nanamahah tawtaw kumayawihnah. Sound the bell, we are meeting. (s131) (mod to EMh -aw => -ah)
noxkwatam vti1a lick s.t. (s91)
Noxkwatah. Lick it. (s18 27)
paataaw vti2 fetch s.t. (Sw225-87e)
Paatah. Fetch it.
pahwaham vti1a peel s.t., like peeling bark off a tree.
Pahwahah. Peel it. (bark) (s18 26)(s108)(s65)
pakatahnaaw vaio-ąą throw onself at s.o. or s.t. (s68)
Pakatahnah wsiituk. Throw yourself at his feet.
piitham vti1a fill s.t. up
Piithah. Fill it up. (s19 42)
pootam vti1a escape s.t. (HA 55) (Prince)
Kwchih-pootah. Try to save yourself. (Prince)
pohpakham vti1a knock on s.t. (s88); pound on s.t. (s111)
Pohpakhah anih tawunąąmukah. Knock it will be opened (s88)
Pohpakhamootąąw. Let’s (us two) pound.
punam vti1a look at s.t. (s94)(HA48)
Punah noonoh nun. Look here it is. (Sw219-51av)
Punah! Look at it!
pumaaw vaio-ąą shoot s.t. or s.o. (TM16) (s126)
Pumąątąąw. Let’s shoot. (s25 84)
Pumąątookw? Let’s all shoot. (s126)
Kaakwaa=ch pumąąkw? Shoot (pl) what? (s126)
sapaθum vti1b melt s.t. (s99) (shapasum)
Sapaθih potun. Melt the butter.
tąąwiikwam vti1a open s.t. (s106)
Tąąwiikwamootookw. Let’s all open it. 12p-0 (–)am-ootookw
tpuθtam vti1a obey s.t. (tpustam) (Watts17)
Tpuθtamookw. Obey (pl) it. (Watts17) (–)am-ookw imp 2p
wąąsunaanum vti1b make s.t. bright (s91)
Wąąsnaanih. Make it bright.
wanuθuw vaio forget s.t. or s.o. (s68) (wanusuw)
Chiin wanuθihaakw. Don’t you (pl) forget it.
wchuwupaaw vaio-s fill s.t. or s.o. up (s69)
Wchawupatąąw hooθ. Lets fill up the kettle. 1+2-3 imp
wuniixtaaw vti2 prepare, fix, repair s.t. (TM12)(Ps119.4)
Wuniixtaakw. Fix it, prepare it. (imp. you pl) (mlh29)
wuyamaxkunum vti1b mix s.t. (s99)
Kuyah wuyamaxkunih. Mix it.