Sketch of Grammar of the Chippeway Languages | Page 4

80 Shonggahswehmedahnah, 90 Ingoodwak, 100 Nezhwak, 200 Neswak, 300 Newak, 400 Nahnwak, 500 Ingoodwahswak, 600 Nezhahswak, 700 Shawhswak, 800 Shongahswak, 900 Medahswak, 1000 Neezhemedahswak, 2000 Medahswehdahswak, 10,000 Nestahnahdahswak, 20,000 Nemedahnahdahswak, 40,000
OF VERBS.
A Verb is a word which signifies to be, to do, or to suffer; as, Nedahyah, I am; Nedebahkoonewa, I rule; Nedebahkoonegoo, I am ruled.
Verbs are of three kinds, active, passive, and neuter.
A Verb Active expresses an action, and necessarily implies an agent and an object acted upon; as, Nezhahgeah James, I love James.
A Verb Passive expresses passion or a suffering or the receiving of an action, and implies an object acted upon, and an agent by which it is acted upon; as, Chezhahwaneding, to be loved; John oojezhahwanemah neen, John is loved by me.
A Verb Neuter expresses neither action nor passion, but being or a state of being; as, Nenebah, I sleep; Nenahmahdub, I sit.
Verbs have number, person, mood and tense.
NUMBER AND PERSON.
Verbs have two numbers, the singular and the plural.
There are three persons in each number; as,
Pers. Singular. Plural. 1. Nezhahwanega, I love. Nezhahwanegamin, we love. 2. Kezhahwanega, thou lovest. Kezhahwanegaim, you love. 3. Zhawanega, he loves. Zhahwanegawug, they love.
MOOD.
The moods are five, Indicative, Subjunctive, Imperative, Potential, and the Infinitive.
The Indicative declares or affirms positively, or it asks a question; as, Zhahwanega, he loves; Zhahwaneganah? Does he love?
The Subjunctive expresses action or passion in a doubtful manner; as, Kespin zhahwanegaid, if he loves.
The Imperative is used for commanding, exhorting, and entreating; as, Mahjahn keen, depart thou; Noodahmooyook, do thou listen.
The Potential implies possibility, liberty, power, will; as, Tahgemewan kahnahbuge, it may rain; Kegahwesenemin kiya kahmenequamin, we shall eat and drink.
The Infinitive simply expresses the signification of the verb; as, Cheezechegang, to do; Chegegedoong, to speak.
TENSE.
Verbs have six tenses, the present, the imperfect, the perfect, the pluperfect, the first and second future tenses.
The present tense represents a present action as taking place at the time in which it is mentioned; as, Nebop, I laugh; Newob, I see; Nedenadum, I think.
The imperfect tense denotes past action or event however distant, finished, but without defining the exact time of its completion; as, Oodanongezahbahneeg ahpe naquaskahwod, they were travelling to the town when he met them.
The perfect tense refers not only to what is past but also conveys an allusion to the present time; as, Ahzheh negegezhetoon nemahzhenahegun, I have finished my letter.
The pluperfect tense represents a thing, not only as past, but also as prior to some other point of time specified in the sentence; as, Ahzehnegegezhetonahbun letter chebwabedahgweshing, I had finished my letter before he arrived.
The first future tense represents the action as yet to come, either with or without respect to the precise time when; as, Owh kezis tahbemookahum wahbung, the sun will rise to-morrow.
The second future tense represents a future action that will be accomplished before another future action; as, Negahwesenenahbun nahwahquaig, I shall have dined at twelve o'clock.
A Verb is conjugated in the following manner:
TO LOVE.--Indicative Mood.
Present Tense.
Sing. 1. Nezhahwanega, I love. 2. Kezhahwanega, Thou lovest. 3. Zhahwanega, He loves. Plur. 1. Nezhahwanegamin, We love. 2. Kezhahwanegaim, Ye or you love. 3. Zhahwanegawug, They love.
Imperfect.
Sing. 1. Negezhahwanega, I loved. 2. Kegezhahwanega, Thou lovedst. 3. Kezhahwanega, He loved. Plur. 1. Negezhahwanegamin, We loved. 2. Kegezhahwanegaim, Ye or you loved. 3. Kezhawanegawug, They loved.
Perfect.
Sing. 1. Ahzehnegezhahwanega, I have loved. 2. Ahzehkegezhahwanega, Thou hast loved. 3. Ahzehkezhahwanega, He has loved. Plur. 1. Ahzehnegezhahwanegamin, We have loved. 2. Ahzehkegezhahwanegaim, Ye or you have loved. 3. Ahzehkezhahwanegawug, They have loved.
Pluperfect.
Sing. 1. Ahzehnegezhahwaneganahbun, I had loved. 2. Ahzehkegezhahwaneganahbun, Thou hadst loved. 3. Ahzehkezhahwanegabun, He had loved. Plur. 1. Ahzehnegezhawanegaminahbun, We had loved. 2. Ahzehkegezhahwanegamwahbun, You had loved. 3. Ahzehkezhahwanegabahneeg, They had loved.
First Future.
Sing. 1. Negahzhahwanega, I shall or will love. 2. Kegahzhahwanega, Thou shalt or wilt love. 3. Tahzhahwanega, He shall or will love. Plur. 1. Negahzhahwanegamin, We shall or will love. 2. Kegahzhahwanegaim, You shall or will love. 3. Tahzhahwanegawug, They shall or will love.
Second Future.
Sing. 1. Negahzhahwaneganahbun, I shall have loved. 2. Kegahzhahwaneganahbun, Thou wilt have loved. 3. Tahzhahwanegabun, He will have loved. Plur. 1. Negahzhahwanegaminahbun, We shall have loved. 2. Kegahzhahwanegamwahbun, You will have loved. 3. Tahzhahwanegabahneeg, They will have loved.
IMPERATIVE MOOD.
Present Tense.
Sing. 1. Tahgahneenegazhahwanega, Let me love. 2. Zhahwanegain, or } Love thou, or do thou love. Kezhahwaneganah, } 3. Tahgahween tahzhahwanega, Let him love.
Plur. 1. Tahgahnenahwind } Let us love. gahzhahwanegamin, } 2. Zhahwanegayook, or } Love ye or you, or Kezhahwanegaimnah, } do you love. 3. Tahgahwenahwah } Let them love. tahzhahwanegawug, }
POTENTIAL MOOD.
Present Tense.
Sing. 1. Nedahzhahwanega, I may love. 2. Kedahzhahwanega, Thou mayest love. 3. Tahzhahwanega, He may love. Plur. 1. Nedahzhahwanegamin, We may love. 2. Kedahzhahwanegaim, You may love. 3. Tahzhahwanegawug. They may love.
Imperfect Tense.
Sing. 1. Nedahgezhahwanega, I might love. 2. Kedahgezhahwanega, Thou mightest love. 3. Tahgezhahwanega, He might love. Plur. 1. Nedahgezhahwanegamin, We