VAI or Animate Intransitive Verb Stems
| Verb ending |
Stem |
Stem type |
Example |
Meaning |
| –iiw |
(stem-ii) |
vai stable |
kawíiw |
sleep |
| –eew |
(stem-ee) |
vai stable |
aaptóoneew |
speak |
| –aaw |
(stem-aa) |
vai stable |
níimaaw |
bring lunch |
| –uw |
(stem-ii) |
vai unstable |
apúw |
be there |
| –eew |
(stem-aa) |
vai unstable |
kúndkeew |
dance |
| –n |
(stem-n) |
vai consonant |
shungiixiin |
lie down |
| –d |
(stem-d) |
vai consonant |
und |
be so |
| –m |
(stem-m) |
vai consonant |
wum |
come from |
| –k |
(stem-k) |
vai consonant |
lpakw |
cry |
| –l |
(stem-l) |
vai consonant |
pumáashŭwihl |
swim |
| –am |
(stem-am) |
voti1a |
wuleelúndam |
feel good |
| –um |
(stem-um) |
voti1b |
amáashŭnum |
act oddly |
| –oow |
(stem-oo) |
voti2 |
piinjiipáhtoow |
hurry inside |
VAI Vowel Stem Indicative Mode
| Paradigm |
Meaning |
| nu-(vowel stem)-m* |
I — |
| ku-(vowel stem)-m* |
You — |
| —-(vowel stem)-w |
He or She — |
| nu-(vowel stem)-hna |
We — (exclusive) |
| ku-(vowel stem)-hna |
We — (inclusive) |
| ku-(vowel stem)-hmwa |
Ye — |
| —-(vowel stem)-wak |
They — |
| —-(vowel stem)-n |
There is — |
*(m) optionally drops
VAI Consonant Stem Indicative Mode
| Paradigm |
Meaning |
| nu-(consonant stem) |
I — |
| ku-(consonant stem) |
You — |
| —-(consonant stem) |
He or She — |
| nu-(consonant stem)-óhna |
We — (exclusive) |
| ku-(consonant stem)-óhna |
We — (inclusive) |
| ku-(consonant stem)-óhmwa |
Ye — |
| —-(consonant stem)-ook |
They — |
| —-(consonant stem)-un |
There is — |
VAI Negative Indicative Mode
| Paradigm Vowel Stems |
Paradigm Consonant Stems |
Meaning |
| mah nu-(stem)-wi |
mah nu-(stem)-oowi |
I — not |
| mah ku-(stem)-wi |
mah ku-(stem)-oowi |
You — not |
| mah —-(stem)-wi |
mah —-(stem)-oowi |
He or She — not |
| mah nu-(stem)-wíhna |
mah nu-(stem)-oowíhna |
We — not (exclusive) |
| mah ku-(stem)-wíhna |
mah ku-(stem)-oowíhna |
We — not (inclusive) |
| mah ku-(stem)-wíhmwa |
mah ku-(stem)-oowíhmwa |
Ye — not |
| mah —-(stem)-wíiwak |
mah —-(stem)-oowíiwak |
They — not |
| mah —-(stem)-wun |
mah —-(stem)-oowun |
There is not — |
(Consonant stems insert (oo) before negative endings)
VAI Unstable Stems Indicative Mode
| Stem ending vowel |
3rd sg form |
3rd pl form |
Negative 3rd sg form |
Negative 3rd pl form |
| (stem-aa) |
(stem-eew) |
(stem-eewak) |
mah (stem-eewi) |
mah (stem-eewiiwak) |
| (stem-ii) |
(stem-uw) |
(stem-uwak) |
mah (stem-iiwi) |
mah (stem-iiwiiwak) |
| (stem-pwii) |
(stem-puw) |
(stem-puwak) |
mah (stem-pwiiwi) |
mah (stem-pwiiwiiwak) |
VAI Indicative Mode Variants
| Stem type |
Variant |
| (stem-xiin) |
final (n) optionally drops in the 1st & 2nd sg |
| (stem-k) |
irregular ending in (kw) in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd sg |
| liitéeheew vai he thinks |
drops initial (l) before prefixes |
| uw vai ‘he says’ |
inserts (s) after prefixes |
| txii-katum |
inserts (und) after prefixes |
VAI Subordinative Mode
| Vowel stem paradigm |
Consonant stem paradigm |
Meaning |
| nu-(vowel stem)-n |
nu-(consonant stem)-un |
I — |
| ku-(vowel stem)-n |
ku-(consonant stem)-un |
You — |
| wu-(vowel stem)-n |
wu-(consonant stem)-un |
He or She — |
| nu-(vowel stem)-neen |
nu-(consonant stem)-uneen |
We — (exclusive) |
| ku-(vowel stem)-neen |
ku-(consonant stem)-uneen |
We — (inclusive) |
| ku-(vowel stem)-neewa |
ku-(consonant stem)-uneewa |
Ye — |
| wu-(vowel stem)-neewa |
wu-(consonant stem)-uneewa |
They — |
| —-(vowel stem)-n |
—-(consonant stem)-un |
There is — |
VAI Negative Subordinative Mode
| Vowel stem paradigm |
Consonant stem paradigm |
Meaning |
| mah nu-(vowel stem)-wun |
mah nu-(consonant stem)-oowun |
I — not |
| mah ku-(vowel stem)-wun |
mah ku-(consonant stem)-oowun |
You — not |
| mah wu-(vowel stem)-wun |
mah wu-(consonant stem)-oowun |
He or She — not |
| mah nu-(vowel stem)-wuneen |
mah nu-(consonant stem)-oowuneen |
We — not (exclusive) |
| mah ku-(vowel stem)-wuneen |
mah ku-(consonant stem)-oowuneen |
We — not (inclusive) |
| mah ku-(vowel stem)-wuneewa |
mah ku-(consonant stem)-oowuneewa |
Ye — not |
| mah wu-(vowel stem)-wuneewa |
mah wu-(consonant stem)-oowuneewa |
They — not |
| mah —-(vowel stem)-wun |
mah —-(consonant stem)-oowun |
There is not — |
Conjunct Order Overview
| Conjunct Mode |
Schema |
| Changed |
(initial change)-(conjunct endings) |
| Changed Subjunctive |
(initial change)-(conjunct endings)-(e) |
| Subjunctive |
(no initial change)-(conjunct endings)-(e) |
| Participles |
(initial change)-(conjunct endings) |
VAI Conjunct – Consonant stems
| Basic paradigm |
Meaning |
| (consonant stem)-aan |
I — |
| (consonant stem)-an |
You — |
| (consonant stem)-uk |
He or She — |
| (consonant stem)-eengw |
We — (exclusive) |
| (consonant stem)-eengw |
We — (inclusive) |
| (consonant stem)-eekw |
Ye — |
| (consonant stem)-óhtiit |
They — |
| Not attested |
There is — |
VAI Conjunct – Consonant stems – Special cases
| Form |
(stem-m) |
(stem-n) |
(stem-xiin) |
(consonant stem) |
| 1st sg |
(stem-m)-aan |
(stem-n)-aan |
(stem-xiin)-aan |
(consonant stem)-awaan |
| 2nd sg |
(stem-m)-an |
(stem-n)-an |
(stem-xiin)-an |
(consonant stem)-awan |
| 3rd sg |
(stem)-ng |
(stem)-ng |
(stem-xiing) or (stem-xiit) |
(consonant stem)-uk |
| 1st pl |
(stem-m)-eengw |
(stem-n)-eengw |
(stem-xiin)-eengw |
(consonant stem)-aweengw |
| 2nd pl |
(stem-m)-eekw |
(stem-n)-eekw |
(stem-xiin)-eekw |
(consonant stem)-aweekw |
| 3rd pl |
(stem-m)-óhtiit |
(stem-n)-óhtiit |
(stem-xiin)-óhtiit |
(consonant stem)-óhtiit |
The relevant forms to the discussion above are in bold type.
The paradigm below illustrates a VAI with a stem ending in (ee).
VAI Conjunct – Vowel stems
| Basic paradigm |
Meaning |
| (stem)-ay-aan |
I — |
| (stem)-ay-an |
You — |
| (stem)-ee-t |
He or She — |
| (stem)-ay-eengw |
We — (exclusive) |
| (stem)-ay-eengw |
We — (inclusive) |
| (stem)-ay-eekw |
Ye — |
| (stem)-ee-htiit |
They — |
| (stem)-ee-ng |
There is — |
The paradigm below illustrates a VAI with a stem ending in (aa).
VAI Conjunct – Vowel stems
| Basic paradigm |
Meaning |
| (stem)-ay-aan |
I — |
| (stem)-ay-an |
You — |
| (stem)-aa-t |
He or She — |
| (stem)-ay-eengw |
We — (exclusive) |
| (stem)-ay-eengw |
We — (inclusive) |
| (stem)-ay-eekw |
Ye — |
| (stem)-aa-htiit |
They — |
| (stem)-aa-ng |
There is — |
The paradigm below illustrates a VAI with a stem ending in (ii).
VAI Conjunct – Vowel stems
| Basic paradigm |
Meaning |
| (stem)-uy-aan |
I — |
| (stem)-uy-an |
You — |
| (stem)-ii-t |
He or She — |
| (stem)-uy-eengw |
We — (exclusive) |
| (stem)-uy-eengw |
We — (inclusive) |
| (stem)-uy-eekw |
Ye — |
| (stem)-ii-htiit |
They — |
| (stem)-ii-ng |
There is — |
VOTI2 Conjunct
| Basic paradigm |
Meaning |
| (stem)-aw-aan |
I — |
| (stem)-aw-an |
You — |
| (stem)-aakw |
He or She — |
| (stem)-aw-eengw |
We — (exclusive) |
| (stem)-aw-eengw |
We — (inclusive) |
| (stem)-aw-eekw |
Ye — |
| (stem)-oo-htiit |
They — |
| (stem)-aw-ung |
There is — |
Class 2 VTI and VOTI stems ending in (oo) shift the (oo) to (aw) in the conjunct
except for 3rd p plural and all conjunct negative forms
VAI Negative Conjunct Mode
| Vowel stem paradigm |
Consonant stem paradigm |
Meaning |
| mah (vowel stem)-waan |
mah (consonant stem)-oowaan |
I — not |
| mah (vowel stem)-wan |
mah (consonant stem)-oowan |
You — not |
| mah (vowel stem)-kw |
mah (consonant stem)-ookw |
He or She — not |
| mah (vowel stem)-weengw |
mah (consonant stem)-ooweengw |
We — not (exclusive) |
| mah (vowel stem)-weengw |
mah (consonant stem)-ooweengw |
We — not (inclusive) |
| mah (vowel stem)-weekw |
mah (consonant stem)-ooweekw |
Ye — not |
| mah (vowel stem)-htiikw |
mah wu-(consonant stem)-óhtiikw |
They — not |
| mah —-(vowel stem)-wung** |
mah —-(consonant stem)-oowung |
There is not — |
VOTI2 stems ending in (oo) do not shift to (aw) before negative endings
VAI Imperative
| Subject |
Vowel stem paradigm |
Consonant stem paradigm |
| 2nd sg (You) |
(vowel stem)-l |
(consonant stem)-ih |
| 2nd pl (Ye) |
(vowel stem)-kw |
(consonant stem)-ookw |
| 1 + 2 (We) |
(vowel stem)-tookw |
(consonant stem)-ootookw |
VAI Imperative Special Cases
>
| Subject |
VAI (stem-xiin) |
VOTI1a (stem-am) paradigm |
VOTI1b (stem-um) paradigm |
| 2nd sg (You) |
(stem-xii)-l |
(stem)-ah |
(stem)-ih |
| 2nd pl (Ye) |
(stem-xii)-kw |
(stem-am)-ookw |
(stem-um)-ookw |
| 1 + 2 (We) |
(stem-xiin)-ootookw |
(stem-am)-ootookw |
(stem-um)-ootookw |
| 2nd sg (Don’t you) |
chii (stem-xiin)-oowi |
chii (stem-am)-oowi |
chii (stem-um)-oowi |
| 2nd pl (Don’t ye) |
chii (stem-xiin)-ooweekw |
chii (stem-am)-ooweekw |
chii (stem-um)-ooweekw |
VAI Prohibitive Mode
| Subject |
Vowel stem paradigm |
Consonant stem paradigm |
| 2nd sg (You) |
chii (vowel stem)-wi |
chii (consonant stem)-oowi |
| 2nd pl (Ye) |
chii (vowel stem)-weekw |
chii (consonant stem)-ooweekw |
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