VTI Subordinative Mode

Subordinative mode or tense is used for polite commands or requests in narratives and in secondary clauses, when a verb is refers back to something said earlier. A verb in the subordinative has the property of providing additional narrative to what was said in the main clause.

VTI subordinative mode uses the “n endings”, i.e. the same prefix and suffix patterns of combination that are used in indicative mode objective verb constructs.

Strictly speaking verbs in subordinative mode omit plural endings for plural objects but it is fine to use them anyway.

Subordinative verbal clause following another verb

wiingáatam vti1a like s.t. + verbal complement in the subordinative

Nuwiingáatamun numíichiin wuyoos.  
I like to eat meat.  
(I like it, me eating meat)  

kwuneelúndam vti1a think s.t. to be a long time.

Ngwuneelúndamun nal ápih wuláakuw.   
I think it's taking a long time for evening to come.  
(VII uses the same endings for the subordinative as in the indicative mode)  
(Reference John O'Meara Munsee Delaware Dictionary)

Nii ngwuneelúndamun nal-uch éhkwu-maawéewiin.   
I think that it will be a long time until the end of the service.   
(Reference John O'Meara Munsee Delaware Dictionary)

Examples using (nun)

Nun ha waapasáanay ndáhtoon.  
That's where I put the blanket.  
[ahtoow  vti2 put s.t. down]  

Nun ha waapasáanayal ndáhtoon.  
That's where I put the blankets.  
[no plural verb ending]  

Nun ha waapasáanayal ndahtóonal.  
That's where I put the blankets.  
[with plural ending, not usual but not incorrect]  

Nun aa ndulŭnúmun.  
Thats what I should do.   
lúnum  vti1b do s.t., hand s.t. in a certain direction 

Storytelling mode:

Nal ha uw, “haluwii na ndiiteehaan wunukwtun-alumsiin ndiit, ngwiilamun wchapihk."
Then he said, "The more I thought about it, one time when she left I thought, `I’ll look for the medicine.‘’‘  
(reference O'Meara;Transcript of the story "When My Uncle Was Bewitched")
hálŭwii  pc more  
liitéeheew  vai unstable (aa) think  
ndiit  pc I think so   
kwíilam vti1a look for s.t.  

uw is in indicative mode as part of the main clause with (nal)   
The subordinative part tells us the story of what he said.   

The subordinative may be useful to shift the focus or emphasis of a phrase :

Yoon ha puyool ngatáatamun.  
This is the violin I wanted.   

Ngatáamun yoon puyool.   
I want this violin.    

Preverb mediated subordinative clauses:

Ta wúndakw koondsútamun?  
From what direction did you hear it ?  
    [wundsútam hear sth from a certain direction]  
    wund- (root) from that place or cause  

Kweek ha nu kóonju-lúnumun?  
Why did you do that?  

Wéemu taa ndúlu-kwíilamun.  
I looked everywhere for it.  
kwíilam  he looks for s.t.  

Yoon ha ndayúlu-leekhamúneen huluníixsuwaakan.  
This is the way we write the language.  
leekham     write s.t. down  
li- here,there,thus, so     lu- ayulu-  

 

Go to VTI Practicum 8 Subordinative

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