Omaha-Ponca Modal of Obligation

[Koontz John E]

Since Rory and I brought it up, the OP modal of obligation is =as^e.
That is, add s^e and change the preceding e if any to a.  If there is a
preceding i, elide i and insert a.  This is the same pattern as the
negative =az^i, e.g., t?e 'dead', t?a=z^i 'not dead', t?a=b=az^i 'not dead
(plural)'.  The loss of the i is only a factor with the plural marker =bi.
A more conservative approach appears in ppi=az^i 'bad'.  Compare also the
logic of the postpositions =adi and =atta, as in e=di 'there'
(demonstratives don't ablaut), but xade 'grasss' => xada=di 'on the
grass', or tti 'house' => tti=adi 'in the house', ppamu 'downhill' =>
ppamu=adi 'downhill-ward'.

JOD 1890:28.19

e=ac^HaN=xc^i c^?e=wadha=s^e
how on earth  did (must) you (have) kill(ed) him

(Note use of "grandmother speech" with all t's changed to c^.)

JOD 90:87.16-17

maN'=khe   xta'=as^e
arrows the I (have to) love

This looks like it is a first peson form, and means something like 'I
necessarily (or of my nature) prefer'.

90:119.17

wahnathe=tta=s^e
you eat  must

(Added to the future =tte.)

90:144.14


hni?a=b=as^e
you must (will necessarily) fail

90:167.4

abdhiN=   tta=miNkha=s^e
I have it will AUX    must
'I have to have it'

90:171.9

waxpa'dhiN=b=as^e
they must be poor

(This seems to stray from obligation to deduction.)

90:435.4

aNgukkikkie=          tta=b=as^e
we talk to each other will  must