Munsee/Grammar

Parts of Speech

Nouns

Animate Nouns

Most living things are animate, but there are exceptions such as nouns for different kinds of fruits. Some animate nouns are also not alive at all such as the words for "fingernail" and "snow".

• oxkwéesus<n><aa> ↔ oxkwéesus "girl"

• pehpáxkwuleesh<n><aa> ↔ pehpáxkwuleesh "flower"

• kóon<n><aa> ↔ kóon "snow"

• níhkash<n><aa> ↔ níhkash "fingernail"

Inanimate Nouns

Most non-living things are inanimate, including some berries, nuts, and vegetables, even though they may be thought of as living.

• wtéehiim<n><nn> ↔ wtéehiim "strawberry"

• mbúy<n><nn> ↔ mbúy "water"

• áhpapoon<n><nn> ↔ áhpapoon "chair"

Personal Pronouns

• nii <prn><pers><p1><sg> "me, my, I"
• kii <prn><pers><p2><sg> "you, your"
• neeka <prn><pers><p3><sg> "him, her; his, her; he,she"
• niilóona <prn><pers><p1><pl> "us, our, we"
• kiilóona <prn><pers><p1><pl> "us, our, we"
• kiilóowa <prn><pers><p2><pl> "your"
• neekáawa <prn><pers><p3><pl> "their, them, they"

Modal Particle

Particles are words that are invariant. They do not fit into other main categories of speech, but they do serve a grammatical purpose.

• há <mod> ↔ há indicates a 'yes/no' question
  • Káta-ha-wíineew? "Is it going to snow?"

Adjectives (Prenouns)

• askii<adj>+wuyóos<n><nn> ↔ askii-wuyóos "raw meat"

Auxiliary Verb (Preverb)

Preverbs are modifiers that occur before verbs. They reflect a wide variety of meanings and function similarly to prenouns. The 'preverb-verb-compound stem' functions like one big new word.

• kwáta<vaux>+néemun<v><tv><nn><s_3sg><o_sg> ↔ kwáta-néemun "he wants to see it"
• wtáalu<vaux>+neewáawal<v><tv><aa><s_3sg><o_3sg> ↔ wtáalu-neewáawal "he is unable to see him"

Verbs

Inanimate Intransitive Verbs (VIIs)

• wíinee<v><iv><nn><s_3sg> ↔ wíineew "it snows"
• páasii<v><iv><nn><s_3sg> ↔ páasiiw "it swells up"

Animate Intransitive Verbs (VAIs)

• kawíi<v><iv><aa><s_3sg> ↔ kawíiw "he sleeps"
• alóhkee<v><iv><aa><s_3sg> ↔ alóhkeew "he works"

Transitive Inanimate Verbs (VTIs)

• néem<v><tv><nn><s_3sg><o_sg> ↔ néemun "I saw it"
• míichii<v><tv><nn><s_3sg><o_sg> ↔ numíichiin "I ate it"

Transitive Animate Verbs (VTAs)

• néem<v><tv><aa><s_3sg><o_3sg> ↔ néewaaw "I saw him"
• ataal<v><tv><aa><s_2pl><o_3sg> ↔ kataaláawuna "we want him"

Grammar Points

Noun Plurals

In Munsee, plurals are formed differently for each gender:

• Animate nouns take the suffix «ak»
  • pámbiil<n><aa><pl> ↔ pambíilak "books"
  • moonáhkeew<n><aa><pl> ↔ moonahkéewak "groundhogs"
  • pootaatíikan<n><aa><pl> ↔ pootaatíikanak "horns"

• Inanimate nouns take the suffix «al»
  • áhpapoon<n><nn><pl> ↔ ahpapóonal "chairs"
  • paxkshíikan<n><nn><pl> ↔ paxkshíikanal "knives"
  • pakíinjuw<n><nn><pl> ↔ pakíinjŭwal "plates"

Note: adding plural endings often results in shifting accents:

• pehpáxkwŭleesh<n><aa><pl> ↔ pehpaxkwŭléeshak "flowers"
• máhksun<n><nn><pl> ↔ mahksúnal "shoes"
• máhkahkw<n><nn><pl> ↔ mahkáhkwal "pumpkins"

Demonstratives

Demonstratives are words that indicate or point to specific entities. Demonstrative pronouns stand alone to replace nouns, while demonstrative determiners are used with nouns to add emphasis. In Munsee, demonstratives must match the gender (animate or inanimate) and plurality of nouns.

Demonstrative Pronouns

Animate demonstrative pronouns:

• ya<prn><dem><sg><aa> ↔ ya ; wa<prn><dem><sg><aa> ↔ wa ; wan<prn><dem><sg><aa> ↔ wan "this"
• yook<prn><dem><pl><aa> ↔ yook "these"
• na<prn><dem><sg><aa> ↔ na ; nan<prn><dem><sg><aa> ↔ nan "that"
• niik<prn><dem><pl><aa> ↔ niik "those"

Inanimate demonstrative pronouns:

• yu<prn><dem><sg><nn> ↔ yu ; yoon<prn><dem><sg><nn> ↔ yoon "this"
• yool<prn><dem><pl><nn> ↔ yool "these"
• nu<prn><dem><sg><nn> ↔ nu ; nun<prn><dem><sg><nn> ↔ nun "that"
• niil<prn><dem><pl><nn> ↔ niil "those"

Examples in phrases:

• Wan ha meexalapóotiis. "This is a spider."
• Na ha! "That's it!"
• Nun eet ha. "That must be it."
  • "eet" is a particle (a stand-alone word independent of gender, number, and inflection.)
  • "eet" means "perhaps" and is used to express uncertainty, not knowing for sure.

Demonstrative Determiners

Animate demonstrative determiners:

• ya<prn><det><sg><aa> ↔ ya ; wa<prn><det><sg><aa> ↔ wa ; wan<prn><det><sg><aa> ↔ wan "this"
• yook<prn><det><pl><aa> ↔ yook "these"
• na<prn><det><sg><aa> ↔ na ; nan<prn><det><sg><aa> ↔ nan "that"
• niik<prn><det><pl><aa> ↔ niik "those"

Inanimate demonstrative determiners:

• yu<prn><det><sg><nn> ↔ yu ; yoon<prn><det><sg><nn> ↔ yoon "this"
• yool<prn><det><pl><nn> ↔ yool "these"
• nu<prn><det><sg><nn> ↔ nu ; nun<prn><det><sg><nn> ↔ nun "that"
• niil<prn><det><pl><nn> ↔ niil "those"

Examples:

• Animate:
  • Wan moonáhkeew. "This groundhog"
  • Yook moonahkéewak. "These groundhogs"
  • Na moonáhkeew. "That groundhog"
  • Niik moonahkéewak. "Those groundhogs"

• Inanimate:
  • Yoon paxkshíikan. "This knife"
  • Yool paxkshíikanal. "These knives"
  • Nu paxkshíikan. "That knife"
  • Niil paxkshíikanal. "Those knives"

Note: proximity isn't indicated in the tags as it can be distinguished based on the lemma.

Obviative Endings

Obviative forms are used to distinguish between 3rd person (animate) actors in a sentence when more than one exists. This involves adding a marker (typically the -al suffix) to animate nouns and verbs which refer to that 'other or obviative third person,' allowing for variation in word order without causing confusion.

For example:

• lúnuw<n><aa><s_3sg>+néem<v><tv><aa>+óxkweewal<n><aa><o_sg> ↔ lúnuw wuneewáawal óxkweewal "the man (proximate) - he saw her - the woman (obviative)"
• oxkweew<n><aa><s_3sg>+néem<v><tv><aa>+lúnuw<n><aa><o_sg> ↔ oxkweew wuneewáawal lúnuwal "the man (proximate) - he saw her - the woman (obviative)"

Making a Noun Possessive

The possessive suffix -um is added to indicate possession, though it is not added to every noun, and there is not a pattern as to which nouns take -um and which do not. Below are general rules for nouns that do pair with -um. For nouns that do not pair (typically ones ending in -an), -um should be omitted.

• Singular possessor + Singular animate possession
  • something (stem) is mine: nu-(stem)-um
  • something (stem) is yours: ku-(stem)-um
  • something (stem) is his or hers: wu-(stem)-um-al (made obviative, discussed elsewhere on this page)
• Singular possessor + Plural animate possessions
  • Things (stem) are mine: nu-(stem)-um-ak
  • Things (stem) are yours: ku-(stem)-um-ak
  • Things (stem) are his or hers: wu-(stem)-um-al (obviative)
• Plural possessors + Singular or plural animate possession
  • Something/things is/are ours (excl): nu-(stem)-um-una
  • Something/things is/are ours (inc): ku-(stem)-um-una
  • Something/things is/our yours: ku-(stem)-um-uwa
  • Something/things is/our theirs: wu-(stem)-um-uwaawal
• Singular possessor + Singular inanimate possession
  • Something (stem) is mine: nu-(stem)-um
  • Something (stem) is yours: ku-(stem)-um
  • Something (stem) is his or hers: wu-(stem)-um
• Singular possessor + Plural inanimate possessions
  • Things (stem) are mine: nu-(stem)-um-al
  • Things (stem) are yours: ku-(stem)-um-al
  • Things (stem) are his or hers: wu-(stem)-um-al
• Plural possessors + Singular or plural inanimate possession
  • Something/things is/are ours (excl): nu-(stem)-um-una
  • Something/things is/are ours (incl): ku-(stem)-um-una
  • Something/things is/are yours: ku-(stem)-um-uwa
  • Something/things is/are theirs: wu-(stem)-um-uwa

Examples

• míhtukw<n><aa><px2sg> ↔ kŭmíhtkwum "your tree"
• míhtukw<n><aa><px2sg><pl> ↔ kŭmíhtkwumak "your trees"
• míhtukw<n><aa><px11pl><pl> ↔ kŭmìhtkwumúna "our trees" (inclusive)
• míhtukw<n><aa><px12pl><pl> ↔ nŭmìhtkwumúna "our trees" (exclusive)
• áhpapoon<n><nn><px3pl><pl> ↔ wtahpapóonuwa "their chairs"
• óohŭm<n><aa><px3sg><pl> ↔ óohŭmal "his grandmother(s)"

Using the Locative Suffix

• -ung (see table below for vowel contraction rules)
• Turns a noun into a location by adding meaning:
  • 'to the'
  • 'at the'
  • 'in the'
  • 'on the'
• There are rules for the contracted form of -ung

Contraction Rules for ung

Morphemes	Contracted Form
ay + ung	eeng
uy + ung	iing
uw + ung	oong

Examples:

• wííkwahm<n><nn><loc> ↔ wííkwahmung "in/at the house"
• mbúy<n><nn><loc> ↔ mbiing "in the water"
• áanay<n><nn><loc> ↔ áaneeng "on the road"
• síipuw<n><nn><loc> ↔ síipoong "to the river"

Using the Absence Suffix

• The ending -aya marks a noun as 'recently deceased'
• Only used on person name nouns and nouns that describe familial relationships (NOT plural or inanimate nouns)
  • moxóomus<n><aa> ↔ numoxóomus "my grandfather"
  • moxóomus<n><aa><abs> ↔ nŭmoxoomsáya "my late grandfather"

Using the Four Verb Types

There are four basic verb types in Munsee, classified according to animacy and transitivity. Each verb type conjugates by adding prefixes and suffixes to a verb type.

Intransitive Inanimate Verbs (VIIs)

Intransitive inanimate verbs (VIIs) use an inanimate third person subject (it or they) and do not take a verb object. VIIs conjugate by adding suffixes to the verb stem.

Independent Indicative Conjugation Paradigm

VII Independent Indicative Mode

Conjugation Paradigm	Meaning
(stem)-(w)	3rd sg: it —
(stem)-(wal)	3rd pl: they —

• wíinee<v><iv><nn><s_sg> ↔ wíineew "it snows"
• páasii<v><iv><nn><s_sg> ↔ páasiiw "it swells up"

Intransitive Animate Verbs (VAIs)

VAIs are verbs that have an animate subject but no object. In other words, these verbs talk about people doing things.

VAI Stable Vowel Stem Independent Indicative Mode

Conjugation Paradigm	Meaning
nu-(vowel stem)-m^	I —
ku-(vowel stem)-m^	You —
—-(vowel stem)-w	He or She —
nu-(vowel stem)-hna	We — (exclusive)
ku-(vowel stem)-hna	We — (inclusive)
ku-(vowel stem)-hmwa	Ye —
—-(vowel stem)-wak	They —
—-(vowel stem)-n	There is —

^(m) optionally drops

VAI Consonant Stem Independent Indicative Mode

Conjugation Paradigm	Meaning
nu-(consonant stem)	I —
ku-(consonant stem)	You —
—-(consonant stem)	He or She —
nu-(consonant stem)-óhna	We — (exclusive)
ku-(consonant stem)-óhna	We — (inclusive)
ku-(consonant stem)-óhmwa	Ye —
—-(consonant stem)-ook	They —
—-(consonant stem)-un	There is —

• kawíi<v><iv><aa><s_3sg> ↔ kawíiw "he sleeps"
• alóhkee<v><iv><aa><s_3sg> ↔ alóhkeew "he works"

Transitive Inanimate Verbs (VTIs)

VTIs have an animate subject and take an inanimate object. In other words, these verbs talk about "people doing stuff with stuff." VTIs take the following form:

• subject — verb — object

• néem<v><tv><nn><s_3sg><o_sg> ↔ néemun "I saw it"
• míichii<v><tv><nn><s_3sg><o_sg> ↔ numíichiin "I ate it"

Transitive Animate Verbs (VTAs)

VTAs have animate subjects and take animate objects. They talk about people doing things with or to people.

• néem<v><tv><aa><s_3sg><o_3sg> ↔ néewaaw "I saw him"
• katáaleew<v><tv><aa><s_2pl><o_3sg> ↔ kataaláawuna "we want him"

Preverbs

• Preverbs are added before verbs to form compound words, and they add meaning similarly to how prenouns add meaning to nouns.
• When present, prefixes are added to the beginning of the preverb part of the compound word, and suffixes are added onto the end in the following fashion:
  • prefix-(preverb)-(verb)-suffix
• Examples:
  • aalu- is a preverb meaning 'unable to'
    • Without the preverb: neem<v><tv><aa><s_3sg><o_3sg> ↔ wuneewáawal "he sees him"
    • With the preverb: wtáalu<vaux>+neewáawal<v><tv><aa><s_3sg><o_3sg> ↔ wtáalu-neewáawal "he is unable to see him"
      • wu-(aalu)-(neew)-aawal follows the prefix-(preverb)-(verb)-suffix structure
  • kata- is a preverb meaning ‘want, intend to’
    • Without the preverb: neem<v><tv><aa><s_3sg><o_sg> ↔ wunéemun "he sees it"
    • With the preverb: kwáta<vaux>+ néemun<v><tv><aa><s_3sg><o_sg> ↔ kwáta-néemun "he is unable to see him"
      • wu-(kata)-(neem)-un follows the prefix-(preverb)-(verb)-suffix structure
      • beginning pattern: wu + k = kw

Using the 'meat of' Suffix

• The suffix -eewakw can be added to an animate, animal noun to form a new word that means the meat of that animal.
• Examples:
  • kóowuy ↔ cow
    • kóowuy<n><aa><meat> ↔ kooyéewakw "beef"
  • na kooshkoosh ↔ pig
    • kooshkoosh <n><aa><meat> ↔ kooshkooshéewakw "pork"
  • atoh ↔ deer
    • atoh<n><aa><meat> ↔ atohéewakw "venison"