<div dir="ltr">Ahó hiⁿtáro, rigrá^thu ke Sage hédaⁿ, daríhgawi je?<div><br></div><div>There are a couple of ways to try to describe this system in ordinary English, one of them as an infix (which requires you to explain what an infix is), the other one as conjugating a verb that consists of two parts. The second way seems to be more in line with the academic linguistic explanation, which has wa- as a special prefix that sometimes affects the meaning of the root in special ways. (For instance in wachi it is unclear what the meanings of "wa" and "chi" are, although we can try to figure out how the word was formed historically.)</div>
<div><br></div><div>An ordinary English explanation might look something like this:</div><div><ul style><li style>Verbs like "wachi" are made up of more than one piece, and instead of putting the pronouns at the beginning, we put them before the second piece.</li>
<li style>The I-form is irregular in verbs which have this "wa" piece. Instead of adding ha-, we add wa-.</li><li style>Sometimes you can add this same "wa" piece to a verb to change its meaning from "doing an action to a particular thing or person" to "doing an action in general". For instance, ruje is to eat something in particular, while warúje is to eat food in general. These wa- verbs are conjugated the same way as verbs like wachi.</li>
</ul><div>I'm open for comments and criticisms of that explanation. Finding ordinary English explanations is becoming more and more central in my work, and I'm always looking for better ways to do it. Hope it helps! Dagúre^shuⁿ húⁿsrage rigráguⁿna ke, pí ramáñiwi iháre.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Bryan</div><div><br></div><div> </div><div class="gmail_quote">2012/7/2 Jimm GoodTracks <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:jgoodtracks@gmail.com" target="_blank">jgoodtracks@gmail.com</a>></span><br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><u></u>
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<div><font color="#0000ff" size="4">A question comes from the Otoe-Missouria
Language Dept. in regard to the unique conjugation of "w-" prefixed verbs,
such as, "wachí" (dance)[L/Dak], wawáchi, I dance/ wayáchi, you dance; "wasí"
(IOM). Also noted in (L/D) "maní" (walk), mayáni, you walk. We are
all aware of this phenomenon in Siouan Languages, but I do not recall anyone
discussing it.</font></div>
<div><font color="#0000ff" size="4"></font> </div>
<div><font color="#0000ff" size="4">In the New Lakhota Dictionary:</font></div>
<div><font color="#0000ff" size="4">"wa-" 1. indefinite object marker.
Usage: can be translated with 'people, things' and often gives the verb a more
general or abstract meaning" p.541</font></div>
<div><font color="#0000ff" size="4">NLD also speaks to a "large group of Lakota
verbs isactive verbs. They describe actions, espcially those governed or
controlled by the actor. They are the opposite of stative verbs....
that one has no controll over them. ... Active verbs are thus
all those verbs that do not take the affixes ma- and ni- for I and you
respectively." p.709</font></div>
<div><font color="#0000ff" size="4"></font> </div>
<div><font color="#0000ff" size="4">Can we have some explaination in easily
understandable English that I may share with the local language
communities?? jimm</font></div>
<blockquote style="BORDER-LEFT:#0000ff 2px solid;PADDING-LEFT:5px;PADDING-RIGHT:0px;MARGIN-LEFT:5px;MARGIN-RIGHT:0px">
<div style="FONT:10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </div>
<div style="FONT:10pt arial;BACKGROUND:#e4e4e4"><b>From:</b>
<a title="sky@omtribe.org" href="mailto:sky@omtribe.org" target="_blank">Campbell, Sky</a>
</div>
<div style="FONT:10pt arial"><b>To:</b> <a title="jgoodtracks@gmail.com" href="mailto:jgoodtracks@gmail.com" target="_blank">Jimm G. GoodTracks</a> </div>
<div style="FONT:10pt arial"><b>Sent:</b> Monday, July 02, 2012 9:24 AM</div>
<div style="FONT:10pt arial"><b>Subject:</b> RE: Aho!</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="13848d18a688b240__MailEndCompose"><span style="COLOR:#1f497d">Ah, so
perhaps it is the difference between the wa- being instrumental and the wa-
being a part of the actual verb stem/root? Or is the “wa-“ in “wasi”
some other kind of prefix that I’m unaware of? I’ve noticed that wa-
wears a LOT of hats in Otoe-Missouria LOL.<u></u><u></u></span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#1f497d">How was your weekend?
Got plans for the 4<sup>th</sup>?<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="COLOR:#1f497d;FONT-SIZE:14pt">Sky
Campbell, B. A.<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#1f497d">Curriculum Materials
Developer<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#1f497d">Language
Department<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#1f497d">Otoe-Missouria
Tribe<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#1f497d"><a href="tel:580-723-4466" value="+15807234466" target="_blank">580-723-4466</a> ext.
111<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#1f497d"><a href="mailto:sky@omtribe.org" target="_blank">sky@omtribe.org</a><u></u><u></u></span></p></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<div>
<div style="BORDER-BOTTOM:medium none;BORDER-LEFT:medium none;PADDING-BOTTOM:0in;PADDING-LEFT:0in;PADDING-RIGHT:0in;BORDER-TOP:#b5c4df 1pt solid;BORDER-RIGHT:medium none;PADDING-TOP:3pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Tahoma','sans-serif';FONT-SIZE:10pt">From:</span></b><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Tahoma','sans-serif';FONT-SIZE:10pt"> Jimm G.
GoodTracks [mailto:<a href="mailto:jgoodtracks@gmail.com" target="_blank">jgoodtracks@gmail.com</a>] <br><b>Sent:</b> Sunday, July 01,
2012 4:48 PM<br><b>To:</b> Campbell, Sky<br><b>Subject:</b> Re:
Aho!<u></u><u></u></span></p></div></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Times New Roman','serif';COLOR:blue;FONT-SIZE:13.5pt">Ho
Hintado...... will be fine. Yes, you have the conjugations
correct for both "dance" & "write." Yes, there is a difference
in the kind of "wa-" prefix. For "write" the wa- is an
instrumental. For dance, it is a totally different phenomenon that
occurs across Siouan languages. I will try to research it, and see if I
can bring you an explanation. Meanwhile, It is not the only instance
where it ocurrs. </span><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Times New Roman','serif';FONT-SIZE:12pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p></div>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Tahoma','sans-serif';FONT-SIZE:10pt"><u></u> <u></u></span></p></div>
<div>
<div>
<p style="BACKGROUND:whitesmoke" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Tahoma','sans-serif';FONT-SIZE:10pt">From:</span></b><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Tahoma','sans-serif';FONT-SIZE:10pt"> <a title="sky@omtribe.org" href="mailto:sky@omtribe.org" target="_blank">Campbell, Sky</a>
<u></u><u></u></span></p></div>
<div>
<p style="BACKGROUND:whitesmoke" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Tahoma','sans-serif';FONT-SIZE:10pt">Sent:</span></b><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Tahoma','sans-serif';FONT-SIZE:10pt"> Thursday, June
28, 2012 11:50 AM<u></u><u></u></span></p></div>
<div>
<p style="BACKGROUND:whitesmoke" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Tahoma','sans-serif';FONT-SIZE:10pt">To:</span></b><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Tahoma','sans-serif';FONT-SIZE:10pt"> <a title="jgoodtracks@gmail.com" href="mailto:jgoodtracks@gmail.com" target="_blank">Jimm G.
GoodTracks</a> <u></u><u></u></span></p></div>
<div>
<p style="BACKGROUND:whitesmoke" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Tahoma','sans-serif';FONT-SIZE:10pt">Subject:</span></b><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Tahoma','sans-serif';FONT-SIZE:10pt"> RE:
Aho!<u></u><u></u></span></p></div></div></div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Times New Roman','serif';FONT-SIZE:12pt"><u></u> <u></u></span></p></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#1f497d">Thanks for the reply!
I’ll go over this a few times to let it sink in. If there needs to be
some sort of kinship term, would hintaro work since I’m not an Otoe relation
(although following the thought of “we are all related” may apply here but
that might be a conversation for another time </span><span style="FONT-FAMILY:Wingdings;COLOR:#1f497d">J</span><span style="COLOR:#1f497d"> )? Ho hintaro! or that sort of
thing?<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#1f497d">I have a question about
conjugating verbs that start with a “w”. I’ve noticed that sometimes
they conjugate differently and I was hoping you’d be able to tell me
why. Something tells me I may have asked you this before but I can’t be
sure LOL. For example:<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#1f497d">wasi – he/she
dances<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#1f497d">waasi – I
dance<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#1f497d">warasi – you
dance<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#1f497d">wagaxe – he/she
writes<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#1f497d">hapagaxe – I
write<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#1f497d">swagaxe – you
write<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#1f497d">Is there a reason they are
done differently?<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="COLOR:#1f497d;FONT-SIZE:14pt">Sky
Campbell, B. A.<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#1f497d">Curriculum Materials
Developer<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#1f497d">Language
Department<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#1f497d">Otoe-Missouria
Tribe<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#1f497d"><a href="tel:580-723-4466" value="+15807234466" target="_blank">580-723-4466</a> ext.
111<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#1f497d"><a href="mailto:sky@omtribe.org" target="_blank">sky@omtribe.org</a><u></u><u></u></span></p></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<div>
<div style="BORDER-BOTTOM:medium none;BORDER-LEFT:medium none;PADDING-BOTTOM:0in;PADDING-LEFT:0in;PADDING-RIGHT:0in;BORDER-TOP:#b5c4df 1pt solid;BORDER-RIGHT:medium none;PADDING-TOP:3pt"><font color="#0000ff" size="4"></font> </div>
</div></div></blockquote></div>
</blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br>***********************************************************<br>Bryan James Gordon, MA<br>Joint PhD Program in Linguistics and Anthropology<br>University of Arizona<br>
***********************************************************<br>
</div></div>