Difference between revisions of "Western Abenaki and English/Contrastive Grammar"

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====Verb Plurality====
 
====Verb Plurality====
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{{comment| this is a lot like English, no? -JNW}}
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{{comment|this is a lot like English, no? -JNW}}
 
*pears are
 
*pears are
 
**kwanogazijik<adj><pl> aplesak<n><aa><pl> aoak<vb><iv><aa><pl>
 
**kwanogazijik<adj><pl> aplesak<n><aa><pl> aoak<vb><iv><aa><pl>

Revision as of 17:55, 3 May 2023

Animacy

Nouns and verbs are tagged with animacy, and there are different verbs depending on whether the subject/object are animate or inanimate.

Noun Animacy

this gets dealt with in lexical transfer -JNW

  • Lobster
    • ^sȣgaiwios<n><nn>/lobster<n>
  • Apple
    • ^aplesa<n><aa>/apple<n>
  • Nuts
    • ^pagȣnisal<n><nn><pl>/nut<n><pl>

Verb Animacy

To output "someone" vs. "something" or "him" vs. "it" is a good grammar point. Be sure to write it up with the correct template - JNW

Verb animacy differs depending on the animacy of the subject and/or object.

  • put aside
    • beskaaka<vb><tv><aa><o_3sg_def_aa>
    • beskato<vb><tv><nn><o_3sg_def_nn>
  • see someone or something
    • namiha<vb><tv><aa><o_3sg_def_aa>
    • namito<vb><tv><nn><o_3sg_def_nn>
  • one names him or it
    • wihlômek<vb><tv><aa><o_3sg_def_aa>
    • witôzik<vb><tv><nn><o_3sg_def_nn>

Plural Agreement

Adjectives and verbs must agree with the relevant noun in plurality

Adjective Plurality

This would be important for translation into abe, but it isn't for translation into eng -JNW

  • pear (elongated apple) → pears (elongated apples)
    • kwanogazid<adj> aples<n><aa><sg>
    • kwanogazijik<adj><pl> aplesak<n><aa><pl>
  • flat light → flat lights (the northern lights)
    • abagigen<adj> wassakw<n><aa><sg>
    • abagigenol<adj><pl> wassakol<n><aa><pl>

Verb Plurality

this is a lot like English, no? -JNW

  • pears are
    • kwanogazijik<adj><pl> aplesak<n><aa><pl> aoak<vb><iv><aa><pl>
  • candlelights are present
    • wassanmôganihlak<n><aa><pl> aimek<vb><iv><aa><pl>

First Person Possessive, First Person Subject

In Western Abenaki, the first person possessive marker is a prefixed n’. In English, this is simply the word "my." Similarly, a first person subject is marked on a verb with the same prefixed n’. In English, this is the word "I."

  • N’cape - my coffee
    • ^cape<n><nn><px1sg>/coffee<n><px1sg>$
    • the "my" will be extracted in the Structural Transfer lab
  • n’wlômawaldamen - I believe
    • ^n’wlômawaldamen<vb><tv><nn><s_sg1>/believe<vb>
    • The "I" will also be extracted