Difference between revisions of "Munsee and English/Contrastive Grammar"

Revision as of 01:39, 13 April 2025

umu-eng tests

Locative

Munsee uses a special locative suffix (-ung), which turns a noun into a location and adding meanings such as:

• "to the"
• "at the"
• "in the"
• "on the"

They also have contracted forms:

• ay + ung = eeng
• uy + ung = iing
• uw + ung = oong

This is different from English, which uses separate prepositional words (e.g. "at" "in" "on").

• (umu) amoxoolung → (eng) in the boat

  (umu) amoxool<n><aa><sg><loc> → (eng) in<pr> the<det><def><sp> boat<n><sg>

• (umu) kpahoonung → (eng) through the door

  (umu) kpahoon<n><nn><sg><loc> → (eng) through<pr> the<det><def><sp> door<n><sg>

• (umu) Pahtamawaasung → (eng) to God

  (umu) Pahtamawaas<n><aa><sg><loc> → (eng) to<pr> God<np><al><sg>

Possession

Munsee marks possession on nouns, whereas English uses a separate possessive determiner.

NOTE: PAMBIIL TWOL NO LONGER WORKING

• (umu) mbambíilum → (eng) my book

  (umu) pámbiil<n><aa><px2sg> → (eng) prpers<det><pos><p1><mf><sp> book<n><sg>

• (umu) kóohum → (eng) your grandmother

  (umu) óohŭm<n><aa><px2sg> → (eng) prpers<det><pos><p2><mf><sg> tree<n><sg>

• (umu) míhtkwumal → (eng) his tree

  (umu) míhtukw<n><aa><px3sg> → (eng) prpers<det><pos><p3><m><sg> tree<n><sg>

Verb Subjects

Munsee marks the subject of a verb, whereas English uses a separate subject pronoun.

• (umu) kawíiw → (eng) he sleeps

  (umu) kawíi<v><iv><aa><s_3sg> → (eng) prpers<prn><subj><p3><m><sg> sleep<vblex><pres>

• (umu) uw → (eng) he said

  (umu) uw<v><iv><aa><s_3sg> → (eng) prpers<prn><subj><p3><m><sg> say<vblex><past>

• (umu) akihkakulooneewak → (eng) they lie

  (umu) kulooneew<v><iv><aa><s_3pl> → (eng) prpers<prn><subj><p3><mf><pl> lie<vblex><pres>

  • NOT SURE WHY LIE DOES NOT ANALYZE THIS WAY IN APERTIUM-ENG
  • ALSO, NOT SURE IF STEM SHOULD INCLUDE W AT THE END OR NOT

Verb Objects

Munsee marks the object of a verb, whereas English uses a separate object pronoun.

• (umu) kŭnéewaaw → (eng) you see him

  (umu) néem<v><tv><aa><s_2sg><o_3sg> → (eng) prpers<prn><subj><p2><mf><sp> see<vblex><pres> prpers<prn><obj><p3><m><sg>

• (umu) kpáham → (eng) he shut it

  (umu) kpáham<v><tv><aa><s_3sg><o_sg> → (eng) prpers<prn><subj><p3><m><s> shut<vblex><pres> prpers<prn><obj><p3><nt><sg>

• (umu) miichiinéewa → (eng) they ate it

  (umu) míichii<v><tv><nn><s_3pl><o_sg> → (eng) prpers<prn><subj><p3><mf><pl> eat<vblex><past> prpers<prn><obj><p3><nt><sg>

Absence Suffix

The suffix -aya marks a noun as "recently deceased." They may only be used on person names and kinship words. Meanwhile, the word "late" in English (as in "my late grandfather") is categorized as an adjective.

• (umu) nŭmoxoomsáya → (eng) my late grandfather

  (umu) moxóomus<n><aa><px1sg><abs> → (eng) prpers<det><pos><p1><mf><sg> late<adj><sint> grandfather<n><sg>

Yes/No Questions

ha => need "do" support

Obviative

NOT A PROBLEM IN TRANSLATION IN THIS DIRECTION

Verb Animacy

NOT IN THIS TRANSLATION DIRECTION

Inclusive vs Exclusive "We"

NOT REALLY A PROBLEM IN THIS DIRECTION

Munsee differentiates between the inclusive (us and you) and exclusive (just us) first-person plural, whereas English does not. This applies to verbs, as well as the possession of nouns.