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 | (—)am-akw | (—)um-akw | (consonant stem)-akw |
| 2nd pl | (—)am-āākw | (—)um-āākw | (consonant stem)-āākw |
| 3rd pl | (—)am-htiit | (—)um-htiit | (consonant stem)-htiit |
| x subj | (—)amuk | (—)umuk | (consonant stem)-umuk |
Example: ąąyąątam vti1a he wants s.t.
āātanih-ąąyąątamah
āātanih-ąąyąątaman
āātanih-ąąyąątak
āātanih-ąąyąątamakw
āātanih-ąąyąątamāākw
āātanih-ąąyąątamhtiit
āātanih-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)
Aātanih-ąąyąątąąθiik.
When it is wanted.
(vii conjunct mode)
Aātanih-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 (āā). The (āā) 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 āā
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 (āā) + 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 (āā).
| Basic paradigm | Meaning |
|---|---|
| (stem)-ay-ah | I — |
| (stem)-ay-an | You — |
| (stem)-āā-t | He or She — |
| (stem)-ay-akw | We — (exclusive) |
| (stem)-ay-āāk | We all — |
| (stem)-ay-āākw | You (pl) — |
| (stem)-a-htiit | They — |
| (stem)-āā-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-akw | We — (exclusive) |
| (stem)-ąąy-āāk | We all — |
| (stem)-ąąy-āākw | 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-akw | We — (exclusive) |
| (stem)-uy-āāk | We all — |
| (stem)-uy-āākw | You (pl) — |
| (stem)-ii-htiit | They — |
| (stem)-ii-muk | There is — |
Examples to illustrate each stem type:
(1) munāāw vaio he drinks something ; (āā) stable
āātan-munáyah
āātan-munáyan
āātan-munāāt
āātan-munáyakw
āātan-munáyāākw
āātan-munahtiit
āātan-munāāmukuw: vaio he says it ; (ii) unstable
āātan-úyah *
āātan-úyán
āātan-iit
āātan-úyakw
āātan-úyāākw
āātan-íhtiit
āātan-iimuk
* or āātan-íiyah etcpumāāw vaio-ąą shoot s.t. or s.o. ; (ąą) unstable
āātan-pumąąyah
āātan-pumąąyan
āātan-pumąąt
āātan-pumąąyakw
āātan-pumąąyāākw
āātan-pumahtiit
āātan-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)-wakw | ustah (consonant stem)-oowakw | We — not |
| ustah (vowel stem)-wāāk | ustah (consonant stem)-oowāāk | We all — not |
| ustah (vowel stem)-wāākw | ustah (consonant stem)-oowāākw | 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:
...āānih-ustah-kwiinamoowah
...because I didn't look for it.
...ustah āānih-kwiinamookw
...because he didn't look for it
...ustah āānih-kwiinamoowakw
...because we didn't look for it
...ustah āānih-kwiinamohtiikw
...because they didn't look for it
Vowel ending examples, negative VTI conjunct:
... ustah āānih-miichíiwah
...because I did not eat it
(unstable-ii stems revert to (ii) before negative endings)
... ustah āānih-wāāwiitāāwah
...because I do not know it
... ustah āānih-munāāwah
...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 => āā
u => āā
ąh => āhAānih-kwiinak.
While she looked for it.
(āānih- pv while, because + conjunct)
Aānih-wāāwíitāāwāākw.
Because you (pl) knew it.
Nāākmah ahwāānŭtam āānih-kwiinamohtiikw.
He was angry because they were not looking for it.
Aātan-musunuk.
When he got it.
āātan- pv when,where + conjunct
Aānkwih-chihkuθumah.
You burned it somewhat.
āānkwih- pv certain amount, extent + conjunct
Tąąn ąąm āānkwih-chihkuθuk?
How much of it did he burn?
Anúmθuw āānih-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