PREFIX "WA-" CONJUGATIONS

[Bryan James Gordon]

Ahó hiⁿtáro, rigrá^thu ke Sage hédaⁿ, daríhgawi je?

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.)

An ordinary English explanation might look something like this:

   - 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.
   - The I-form is irregular in verbs which have this "wa" piece. Instead
   of adding ha-, we add wa-.
   - 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.

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.

Bryan


2012/7/2 Jimm GoodTracks <jgoodtracks at gmail.com>

> **
> 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.
>
> In the New Lakhota Dictionary:
> "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
> 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
>
> Can we have some explaination in easily understandable English that I may
> share with the local language communities??   jimm
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> *From:* Campbell, Sky <sky at omtribe.org>
> *To:* Jimm G. GoodTracks <jgoodtracks at gmail.com>
> *Sent:* Monday, July 02, 2012 9:24 AM
> *Subject:* RE: Aho!
>
>  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.****
>
> ** **
>
> How was your weekend?  Got plans for the 4th?****
>
> ** **
>
> *Sky Campbell, B. A.*
>
> Curriculum Materials Developer****
>
> Language Department****
>
> Otoe-Missouria Tribe****
>
> 580-723-4466 ext. 111****
>
> sky at omtribe.org****
>
> ** **
>
> *From:* Jimm G. GoodTracks [mailto:jgoodtracks at gmail.com]
> *Sent:* Sunday, July 01, 2012 4:48 PM
> *To:* Campbell, Sky
> *Subject:* Re: Aho!****
>
> ** **
>
> 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.   ****
>
> ** **
>
> *From:* Campbell, Sky <sky at omtribe.org> ****
>
> *Sent:* Thursday, June 28, 2012 11:50 AM****
>
> *To:* Jimm G. GoodTracks <jgoodtracks at gmail.com> ****
>
> *Subject:* RE: Aho!****
>
> ** **
>
> 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
> J )?  Ho hintaro! or that sort of thing?****
>
> ** **
>
> 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:****
>
> ** **
>
> wasi – he/she dances****
>
> waasi – I dance****
>
> warasi – you dance****
>
> ** **
>
> wagaxe – he/she writes****
>
> hapagaxe – I write****
>
> swagaxe – you write****
>
> ** **
>
> Is there a reason they are done differently?****
>
> ** **
>
> *Sky Campbell, B. A.*
>
> Curriculum Materials Developer****
>
> Language Department****
>
> Otoe-Missouria Tribe****
>
> 580-723-4466 ext. 111****
>
> sky at omtribe.org****
>
> ** **
>
>
>


-- 
***********************************************************
Bryan James Gordon, MA
Joint PhD Program in Linguistics and Anthropology
University of Arizona
***********************************************************
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