Munsee and English/Contrastive Grammar

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>

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><p3><sg>

• (umu) alóhkeew → (eng) he works

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

Verb Objects

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

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.