Big Concept: Inflection
In every sentence or part of a sentence, Mohican speakers like to keep track of all the participants: the doer of the action, the receiver or beneficiary of the action, and the target that is being acted upon. Each and every participant is indicated or “flagged” on the verb with prefixes and suffixes; in other words, for each verb (an action or state of being), all participants must be known and indicated aloud.
Participants are flagged with a prefix (sounds that go at the front of the verb), a suffix (sounds that go at the end of the verb), or a combination of both. These prefixes and suffixes can be grouped together under the category of inflection. Inflection is required on each and every verb, and all participants must be indicated.
Different modes will have different patterns of inflection, so you will have to learn each mode separately. There are also many small sound changes that occur where prefixes and suffixes join up with verb stems. It is probably simplest for learners to start by learning useful verbs in context instead of the picky bits of grammar. Once you start noticing patterns, then the grammar explanations will be more intuitive.
Regular Mode (indicative)
Below is the full Regular Mode (indicative) conjugation for the one-participant verb /the'taneenaa‑/ “have a cold”. A few patterns to consider:
- If you are in any way involved, the prefix is k-. If you are not involved, but I am, the prefix is n-. If neither you nor me is involved, there is no prefix.
With prefix in Regular Mode (indicative)
Where the participant is niya (me) or kiya (one of you), this person is flagged with a prefix: n- for niya (me), and k- for kiya (you).
- nthe'taneena “I have a cold”
- kthe'taneena “you have a cold”
With suffix in Regular Mode (indicative)
Where the participant is naakmã (she or he) or naakmãawã (they), it is flagged with a suffix: -w for naakmã (s/he), and -k for naakmãawã (they). When people in general are the doers, or there is an instance of the action happening, the suffix is -n. The people-in-general participant has the abbreviation X.
- the'taneenaw “she or he has a cold”
- the'taneenaak “they have a cold”
- the'taneenaan “people have colds, there is a cold going around”
With prefix and suffix in Regular Mode (indicative)
For the participants nyaanã (we but not you), kyaanã (we and you), kyaanook (all of us), and kyaawã (you guys), the participant is spoken with both a prefix and a suffix.
- nthe'taneena'nã “we have a cold, but not you”
- kthe'taneena'nã “we have a cold, including you”
- kthe'taneena'nook “we all have a cold”
- kthe'taneena'mã “you guys have a cold”
N-Mode (Subordinative)
Forms
- All forms have a person prefix: niya n-, kiya k-, or naakmã o-.
- All n-mode (subordinative) suffixes begin with -in.
- otãayãatamin “She needs something” ← /ãayãatam-/ ⁅vti⁆ ‘need s.t.’
- If the verb stem ends in -kw the suffixes begin with -on.
- okitmeenãakwon “She is lucky” ← /kitimeenãakw-/ ⁅vai⁆ ‘be lucky’
- If the verb stem ends in a vowel, the vowel -i at the start of the suffixes delete.
- opeepmãan “She is hunting” ← /peepimãa-/ ⁅vai⁆ ‘hunt’
- For the plural suffixes -inaanã and -inaawã, if the last syllable in the verb stem is strong, the -i (or -o) at the start of the suffix is weak and deletes.
- okimootnaawã “They are stealing something” ← /kimoot-/ ⁅vaio⁆ ‘steal’
- There are no n-mode forms for 1-participant X doers or 1-participant inanimate doers. In these cases, the regular mode (indicative) is used instead.
Forms for the verb /the'taneenaa-/ ⁅vai⁆ “have a cold”:
- nthe'taneenaan “I have a cold”
- kthe'taneenaan “You have a cold”
- othe'taneenaan “She or he has a cold”
- the'taneenaan “people have colds”
- nthe'taneenaanaanã “We have a cold, but not you”
- kthe'taneenaanaanã “We have a cold, including you”
- kthe'taneenaanaawã “You guys have a cold”
- othe'taneenaanaawã “They have a cold”
Uses
Verbs in N-Mode are required in a variety of situations.
After the particle word a'kwe “cease, stop” in commands.
- A'kwe ktana'kaan! “Stop doing that”
After the particle word cheen “don't”. There is an alternate structure for “don't” sentences using the Prohibitative Mode.
- Cheen knatmeekaan! “Don't come in!”
After the particles ni “there” or no “here” when signifying that the location of the action is known to the speakers or is being introduced in this sentence.
- Paaskow no otapeen. “One of them is sitting here.”
Following the question word tãan “how, where, when”.
- Tãan ktapeenaawã? “Where are you guys sitting?”
Following the question word tãan nokwe'kwe “how long, when”.
- Tãan nokwe'kwe okeesana'kaan? “How long has she or he been ready?”
In some subordinate clauses. A subordinate clause is the second sentence fragment that depends on the first verb. A variety of verbs may cause the subordinate verb to go into N-Mode (subordinative).
Tãawaw: “Buy Stuff” “Go Shopping”
The words describing “trading”, “buying” or “shopping” are built from the stem /atãawaa/. Here is the list of forms in the regular mode (indicative).
Regular Mode / Indicative
- ndatãawa “I am buying stuff”
- ktatãawa “You are buying stuff”
- tãawaw “She or he is buying stuff”
- tãawaan “People are buying stuff, there's buying going on”
- ndatãawa'nã “We are buying stuff, but not you”
- ktatãawa'nã “We are buying stuff, including you”
- ktatãawa'nook “We all are buying stuff”
- ktatãawa'mã “You guys are buying stuff”
- tãawaak “They are buying stuff”
Notes
- Because the stem begins with the vowel /a/, the niya and kiya prefixes take the forms /nd‑/ and /kt‑/.
- The short vowel /a/ at the beginning of the stem is not pronounced when there is no prefix: for naakmã (s/he), naakmãawã (they), and X.
- The final stem-vowel /aa/ is shortened to /a/ for niya (I), kiya (one of you), and naakmã (s/he). Vowels are also always shortened before glottal stops.
Aw: “Go to a place”
The words for “going to some place” are built from the short stem /ãa/. This lesson introduces two different modes of this verb. Where the destination of the going is unknown or hasn't been discussed yet, use the regular mode (indicative). If the speaker has a specific destination in mind, use the n-mode (subordinative) with the short word /ni/ first.
Regular Mode / Indicative
- ndã “I am going”
- ktã “you are going”
- aw “she or he is going”
- ãan “people are going, the is going happening”
- ndã'nã “we are going, but not you”
- ktã'nã “we are going, including you”
- ktã'nook “we are all going”
- ktã'mã “you guys are going”
- aak “they are going”
Notes
- Because the stem begins with the vowel /ãa/, the niya and kiya prefixes take the forms /nd‑/ and /kt‑/.
- The final stem-vowel /ãa/ changes to the non-nasal /aa/ for naakmã (s/he) and naakmãawã (they).
- The final stem-vowel is shortened for niya (I), kiya (one of you), and naakmã (s/he). Vowels are also always shortened before glottal stops.
N-Mode / Subordinative
- ni ndãan “I am going there”
- ni ktãan “you are going there”
- ni otãan “she or he is going there”
- ni ndãanaanã “we are going there, but not you”
- ni ktãanaanã “we are going there, including you”
- ni ktãanaanook “we are all going there”
- ni ktãanaawã “you guys are going there”
- ni otãanaawã “they are going there”
Notes
- Because the stem begins with the vowel /ãa/, the niya, kiya, and naakmã prefixes take the forms /nd‑/, /kt‑/, /ot‑/.
“Have To”
The word for the idea of “have to do” or “must do” is yathkam. You usually say it at the beginning of the sentence (before the verb complex) unless there is some other idea you wish to spotlight. The verb following yathkam can be in any mode.
From the sources
- Yathkameen kaache omasãataminaawã. “Now they will have to remember it.” (Quinney and Dick p.12 ln.8)
- Yathkameen sãape'ãam mxe peepmãat. “You will have to first be a great hunter.” (Quinney and Dick p.6 ln.2)
- Kaache'een yathkam eeyootwak. “Now they will have to fight.” (Quinney and Dick p.12 ln.2)
- Yathkam naaske mtapeemaakw. “You all must be born again” (Sargent John III p.26 ln.7)