(1) Stable VAI stems ending in (ii):
The dictionary lists these with an (iiw) ending, and all other forms indicated in the dictionary entry also use (ii) prior to the endings, which makes these verb easily identifiable. They may also be labeled vai-s (s for stable)
These stems are called stable because they do not shift the stem ending vowel before the 3rd person endings in indicative mode.
VAI Stable Stem Independent Indicative Mode (ii)
| Paradigm | Meaning |
|---|---|
| nu-(stem-ii)-m* | I — |
| ku-(stem-ii)-m* | You — |
| —-(stem-ii)-w | He or She — |
| nu-(stem-ii)-hna | We — (exclusive) |
| ku-(stem-ii)-hna | We — (inclusive) |
| ku-(stem-ii)-hmwa | Ye — |
| —-(stem-ii)-wak | They — |
| —-(stem-ii)-n | There is — |
*(m) optionally drops
Example: kawiiw vai-s he sleeps
ngáwi or ngáwiim I sleep
káwi or káwiim
kawíiw
ngawíhna
kawíhna
kawíhmwa
kawíiwak
X kawíin There is sleeping
VAI Negative Stable Stem (ii) Independent Indicative Mode
| Paradigm | Meaning |
|---|---|
| mah nu-(stem-ii)-wi | I — not |
| mah ku-(stem-ii)-wi | You — not |
| mah —-(stem-ii)-wi | He or She — not |
| mah nu-(stem-ii)-wíhna | We — not (exclusive) |
| mah ku-(stem-ii)-wíhna | We — not (inclusive) |
| mah ku-(stem-ii)-wíhmwa | Ye — not |
| mah —-(stem-ii)-wíiwak | They — not |
| mah —-(stem-ii)-wun | There is not — |
(Identical to the unstable stem paradigm ending in (ii))
Examples
mah nii ngawíiwu I sleep not
mah kii kawíiwu
mah neeka kawíiwu
mah niiloona ngawiiwíhna
mah kiiloona kawiiwíhna
mah kiiloowa kawiiwíhmwa
mah neekáawa kawiiwíiwak
mah kawíiwun
Examples:
Nii ndóhpu-kawíim wuláakwe.
I slept lots yesterday.
(nu + tohpu pv lots => ndohpu-)
Kii ha kóolu-káwiim?
How did you sleep? (did you sleep well?)
Ngáwi éelki-neew-kulakíike.
I slept until 4 o'clock.
Néeka íiyaach kawíiw.
He is still sleeping.
Wéetu-ch ngawíhna.
We'll sleep in awhile.
wéetu pc in awhile
Ktaníisku-kawíhna.
We love to sleep.
aniisku pv habitually
Yáanee móxa kawíhmwa.
Ye always sleep alot.
yáanee pc always, often
Alíike amiimúnzak maw-kawíiwak.
The kids reluctantly went to sleep.
alíike PC reluctantly
maw pv go to do something
Kawiin.
There is sleeping
Negative examples:
Íiyaach mah ngawíiwu.
I'm not sleeping yet.
Mah kŭmáwi-kawíiwu.
I'm not going to sleep.
Mah neeka káta-kawíiwu.
He doesn't want to sleep.
Niilóona mah uch ngawiiwíhna kway píiskeek.
We won't sleep tonight.
Áapwu kiilóona aa kŭmáwi-kawiiwíhna.
We should not go to sleep early.
aapwu pc early, easily
Kiilóowa aa kawiiwíhmwa eel-wáapang.
Ye should not sleep because its morning.
Neekáawa kawiiwíiwak.
They are not sleeping.
Mah kawíiwun.
There is no sleeping.
(2) Stable stems in (aa)
The dictionary lists these as ending in (-aaw) and all forms indicated in the dictionary listing use (aa) prior to endings, and they may also be labeled vai-s (s for stable)
VAI Stable Stem Independent Indicative Mode (aa)
| Paradigm | Meaning |
|---|---|
| nu-(stem-aa)-m* | I — |
| ku-(stem-aa)-m* | You — |
| —-(stem-aa)-w | He or She — |
| nu-(stem-aa)-hna | We — (exclusive) |
| ku-(stem-aa)-hna | We — (inclusive) |
| ku-(stem-aa)-hmwa | Ye — |
| —-(stem-aa)-wak | They — |
| —-(stem-aa)-n | There is — |
*(m) optionally drops
Example: níimaaw vai-s bring lunch along
níima or níimaam I bring lunch along
kníima or kníimaam
níimaaw
niimáhna
kniimáhna
kniimáhmwa
niimáawak
X níimaan There is bringing lunch along
VAI Negative Stable Stem (aa) Independent Indicative Mode
| Paradigm | Meaning |
|---|---|
| mah nu-(stem-aa)-wi | I — not |
| mah ku-(stem-aa)-wi | You — not |
| mah —-(stem-aa)-wi | He or She — not |
| mah nu-(stem-aa)-wíhna | We — not (exclusive) |
| mah ku-(stem-aa)-wíhna | We — not (inclusive) |
| mah ku-(stem-aa)-wíhmwa | Ye — not |
| mah —-(stem-aa)-wíiwak | They — not |
| mah —-(stem-aa)-wun | There is not — |
Negative examples
mah nii niimáawi I bring lunch along not
mah kii kniimáawi
mah neeka niimáawi
mah niiloona niimaawíhna
mah kiiloona kniimaawíhna
mah kiiloowa kniimaawíhmwa
mah neekáawa niimaawíiwak
mah niimáawun
Examples using phrases
Nii ngáta-níima(am)
Kii ha kníima?
Néeka mah niimáawi
Niilóona uch nmaw-miitsíhna, niimáhna
Ktáalu-niimáhna kway kiishkwihk
Kiilóowa aa kniimáhmwa
Neekáawa aníisku-niimáawak
(3) VAI stems ending in (ee)
The dictionary lists many VAIs ending in (eew). These include the stable VAIs with stems ending in (ee) and the unstable VAIs with stems ending in (aa),
Note that unstable stems will list non 3rd person entries with endings preceded by (aa) whereas the stable stems list all forms with endings preceded by (ee).
VAI Stable Stem Independent Indicative Mode (ee)
| Paradigm | Meaning |
|---|---|
| nu-(stem-ee)-m* | I — |
| ku-(stem-ee)-m* | You — |
| —-(stem-ee)-w | He or She — |
| nu-(stem-ee)-hna | We — (exclusive) |
| ku-(stem-ee)-hna | We — (inclusive) |
| ku-(stem-ee)-hmwa | Ye — |
| —-(stem-ee)-wak | They — |
| —-(stem-ee)-n | There is — |
*(m) optionally drops
Example: alohkeew vai he works
ndalóhke or ndalóhkeem I work
ktalóhke or ktalóhkeem
alóhkeew
ndalohkéhna
ktalohkéhna
ktalohkéhmwa
alohkéewak
X alóhkeen There is working
VAI Negative Stable Stem (ee) Independent Indicative Mode
| Paradigm | Meaning |
|---|---|
| mah nu-(stem-ee)-wi | I — not |
| mah ku-(stem-ee)-wi | You — not |
| mah —-(stem-ee)-wi | He or She — not |
| mah nu-(stem-ee)-wíhna | We — not (exclusive) |
| mah ku-(stem-ee)-wíhna | We — not (inclusive) |
| mah ku-(stem-ee)-wíhmwa | Ye — not |
| mah —-(stem-ee)-wíiwak | They — not |
| mah —-(stem-ee)-wun | There is not — |
Negatives
mah nii ndalohkéewu I work not
mah kii ktalohkéewu
mah neeka alohkéewu
mah niiloona ndalohkeewíhna
mah kiiloona ktalohkeewíhna
mah kiiloowa ktalohkeewíhmwa
mah neekáawa alohkeewíiwak
mah alohkéewun
Examples using aaptóoneew vai he speaks
Ndaaptóoneem or ndaaptóone.
I speak.
Nii uch ndángii-aaptóone.
I will speak a little.
Kii ktaaptóoneem táhtaas.
You sometimes speak.
Néeka áalu-aaptóoneew.
He is unable to speak.
Niilóona msúchee ndaaptoonéhna.
We hardly speak.
msúchee hardly
Kiilóona alíike ktaaptoonéhna.
We relunctantly speak.
alíike PC reluctantly
Kiilóowa mah ktaaptooneewíhmwa.
Ye are not speaking.
Neekáawa ndóhpu-aaptoonéewak.
They speak much.
Aaptóoneen.
There is speaking.
(4) stems ending in (oo)
These stems do not shift vowels in the indicative mode. Characteristic shifts do occur in other modes. Details will be provided in relevant chapters.
Technically VAIs with stems ending in (oo) are VOTIs, type 2.
(VOTI = Objectless Transitive Inanimate Verbs) These can be thought of as VTIs without an object. Since VOTIs conjugate just like VAIs I have introduced them here, and the phonological and morphologic changes they undergo will make the study of the VTIs ending in (oo) that much easier.
Types of VTIs will be explained later.
VAI/VOTI Stable Stem Independent Indicative Mode (oo)
| Paradigm | Meaning |
|---|---|
| nu-(stem-oo)-m* | I — |
| ku-(stem-oo)-m* | You — |
| —-(stem-oo)-w | He or She — |
| nu-(stem-oo)-hna | We — (exclusive) |
| ku-(stem-oo)-hna | We — (inclusive) |
| ku-(stem-oo)-hmwa | Ye — |
| —-(stem-oo)-wak | They — |
| —-(stem-oo)-n | There is — |
*(m) optionally drops
Example: kshiilawéhtoow voti2 show off
ngushiilawéhto or ngushiilawéhtoom I show off
kushiilawéhto or kushiilawéhtoom
kshiilawéhtoow
ngushiilawehtóhna
kushiilawehtóhna
kushiilawehtóhmwa
kshiilawehtóowak
X kshiilawéhtoon There is showing off
VAI/VOTI Negative Stable Stem (oo) Independent Indicative Mode
| Paradigm | Meaning |
|---|---|
| mah nu-(stem-oo)-wi | I — not |
| mah ku-(stem-oo)-wi | You — not |
| mah —-(stem-oo)-wi | He or She — not |
| mah nu-(stem-oo)-wíhna | We — not (exclusive) |
| mah ku-(stem-oo)-wíhna | We — not (inclusive) |
| mah ku-(stem-oo)-wíhmwa | Ye — not |
| mah —-(stem-oo)-wíiwak | They — not |
| mah —-(stem-oo)-wun | There is not — |
Examples
mah nii ngushiilawehtóowu I show off not
mah kii kushiilawehtóowu
mah neeka kshiilawehtóowu
mah niiloona ngushiilawehtoowíhna
mah kiiloona kushiilawehtoowíhna
mah kiiloowa kushiilawehtoowíhmwa
mah neekáawa kshiilawehtoowíiwak
mah kshiilawehtóowun
Examples using piinjiipáhtoow voti2 he rushes inside
Shaa mbiinjiipáhto.
shaa pc immediately
Táhtaas kii kpiinjiipáhto.
táhtaas pc sometimes
Néeka wíhwiing-piinjiipáhtoow.
wíhwiing- pv like to
Chíingu mbiinjiipahtóhna. Niilóona móxa ngatoopwíhna.
chíingu PC some time ago
Kiilóona uch kmaw-piinjiipahtóhna?
Mah uch kmaw-piinjiipahtoowíhna.
Kiilóowa ktaníisku-piinjiipahtóhmwa.
aniisku- PV habitually
Kunjóoka neekáawa piinjiipahtóowak.
kunjóoka PC recently
x Pinjiipahtoon.
Ambiguity or variability of unstable stems
Chaachiishamaaw vai-s play snowsnake
They play snow-snake.
Chaachiishamáawak vs chaachiishaméewak
(Some modern speakers shift the (aa) to (ee) whereas others use (aa) for all forms )
Snow Snake is a winter game.
It requires a “snake”, carved from a flat piece of wood with one end was curved up slightly. The other end was carved with notch for the hand to make it easy to throw.
A log is used to form a long path or a rut in the snow. Players take turns throwing the “snake” through the trough and the longer the distance the higher the score.