VII Conjunct Participle Mode

 

In this mode the verb acts like a noun or modifies a noun.

English uses participles also:

A (boiled) egg  
A (smiling) face  

Munsee participles can vary in meaning depending on which part of the verb gets the main focus. One could say that participles may be based on one of verb participants, referred to as the ‘head’ of the phrase.

(Reference Ives Goddard Delaware Verbal Morphology)

This point is mostly relevant to other verb types that have more than one participant, however preverbs may sometimes become the head or focal point of a participle.

VIIs are simple verbs, so participles are straightforward.

They are formed using initial change and normal conjunct endings.

VII participles may be translated using the gloss ‘it which’ where ‘it’ represents the inanimate noun that the verb would use as its subject.

For example, the verb máxkeew = it is red.

Its participle is formed by using initial change (a => ee) and use of the conjunct ending (k) on the verb stem (maxkee).

Méexkeek. 'It which is red' or more simply put, 'the red one.'  

Iiyaach áhteew méexkeek.  
It is still there, the red one.  

Wéelihk.  
That which is good, the good one.  

Nah ahtéew wéelihk.  
The nice one is there.  

Éelihk.  
The rotted one.  

Meexuwíiyayiik.   
The old one. (from the verb xuwíiyayuw)   
Verbs starting with (x) often have beginning patterns which add (mu-) => (mee-) with initial change  

Waapánge.   
When its dawn. Tomorrow.   
from the verb wáapan vii be dawn   

For some verbs with an abstract subject, the participle becomes a noun:

Kéeshxung.  
The wind.   
The verb root is (kushaxun)   

Participles may take preverbs:

Áhwu-méexkeek.   
The intensely red one.  

Éenda-téeheek.  
Where its cold. The cold place.   
theew vii be cold   

Kaanzhu-xwahkwiixúnge.   
The great flood.   
xwahkwiixun vii be a flood, changed subjunctive mode indicates the historical flood.   

Participles may use the plural ending (-iil) optionally.

Yéelak ahtéewal eetihtéekill.  
The ripe ones are over there.  

Wteehíimal eetíhteek.  
The ripe strawberries.  
(without plural ending, the plural noun makes it 'easier' to omit the plural ending (-iil) on the participle)  

Weelíhkiil  
The nice ones.  

Go to VII Practicum 11 Conjunct Participle Mode

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