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Aspects of Micmac Intransitive Animate Inflection

Watson Williams Summer Institute of Linguistics

John Jerome Micmac Texts, Restigouche, Quebec

I. Micmac Orders Derived from Proto Algonquian Traditionally the inflection of Algonquian verbs are in

three orders. They are independent, conjunct and imperative. Each order has its own distinctive endings. The independent order verbs are used mainly in non-imperative independent clauses; the conjunct order verbs are used in subordinate or dependent clauses and the imperative order verbs are used in direct commands.

This is attested to by Leonard Bloomfield (1946:97, 100, 101). He also lists a prohibitive order as being a variant from the imperative order and an interrogative order as a variant of the conjunct order. In reality these two add­itional orders are but modes of the orders they vary from.

The Proto-Algonquian Affixes (Chart I below) lists his verbal endings for the three orders. Chart I Proto-Algonquian Person Affixes PA Independent PA Conjunct PA Imperative 1

2 3 21 31 22 33

ne-ke-

ke-ne-ne-

-w (a) -naw* -naan* -naawaaw* -waki

-aan -an -at -ankw -aank -eekw -waat

-lo (singular)

-ko (plural)

Bloomfield states (1946:97): "The languages disagree as to the plural forms of the first and second persons plural..." independent. In chart I I have listed his Cree examples for 'we inclusive' (21), 'we exclusive' (31) and 'you plural'. They bear an asterisk in the chart.

In Eastern Ojibwa Bloomfield (1957:35) states, "The three orders are independent, conjunct and imperative. The last appears in commands and prohibitives; the other two cover a parallel system of modes, the independent in principal clauses and the conjunct in subordinate clauses and part­iciples. "

H. Christoph Wolfart in Plains Cree: a grammar study states (Wolfart 1963:41), "Plains Cree verbs are inflected in three orders, independent, conjunct and imperative. The orders use different sets of affixes."

Ives Goddard in Delaware verbal morphology: a descriptive and comparative study (Goddard 1969:47) states, "There are three orders, the independent, the conjunct and the imper­ative. The formal distinction between the three orders is sharper than the functional distinction, but in general it

192

may be said that the independent forms predications, the conjunct, subordinate clauses and the imperative, commands. Each is divided into modes."

Richard A. Rhodes in The morphosyntax of the Central Ojibwa verb (Rhodes 1976:25) writes, "There are three orders,,,,, independent, conjunct and imperative. Independent verb forms are used in independent clauses, conjunct verbs in dependent clauses and imperative verbs in commands."

In The Main features of Malecite-Passamaquoddy grammar, Karl V. Teeter (1971:200) says, "Verbs which exhibit by far the greatest complexity of organization among Malecite-Passamaquoddy parts of speech, are inflected in three distinct orders, each including one or more modes. The independent order, the only one to employ prefixes, has forms for an indicative mode, used in verbal predications, and a relative mode used as complements for predications, verbal and not verbal. The imperative order has a single mode... Verbs in the conjunct order, which does not use prefixes and has endings completely different from those of the independent order, are used in subordinate clauses."

Clearly Algonquian verbs are divided into three orders along two parameters. One is based on the verbs function in phrases and clauses. The other is based on the form of the verbal affixes. This gives us the following chart. Chart II Proto-Algonquian Order Facts

Order Function Form

forms prominently has verbal type of independent verbs prefixes suffixes

Independent yes —^ii Independent Imperative yes no Imperative Conjunct no no Conjunct

Micmac verbs have a number of concrete differences both in form and function from the above outlined system for other Algonquian languages.1 The differences are:

1- No verb order uses person prefixes in present day Micmac. 2. The independent order forms primarily predications but does participate in forming dependent clauses. 3. The conjunct order forms a dependent mode and a predication. 4. The imperative order has suffixes that are conjunct ordlr s u f f l x e s t h a t s e e m unique to the imperative

5 The verbal suffixes for the independent and conjunct orders have switched places from the PA pattern 6. Micmac has incorporated a dual system into many a1 " t " n s

fl l v e ver*s w h i c h distinguishes two from many

and further complicates the verbal system

is results in a Micmac order suffix chart as follows:3

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1 2 3 21 31 22 34

-i -n -t -lgw -leg -log -Dig

Chart III Micmac Order Person Suffixes

Micmac Independent Micmac Conjunct Micmac Imperative

-0 -w -nu -nen -ew ~ -og -ug -ew

The real plural morpheme in Micmac intransitive verbs is added between the verb stem and the person agreement suffixes. This would augment Chart III with a real plural addition and the forms derived from old PA plural suffixes are now used as duals. The real plural addition is illustrated in the following chart. Chart IV Micmac Plural Agreement Suffixes

Micmac Independent Micmac Conjunct Micmac Imperative Plural Plural Plural

x21 -ultiigw -ultinu1* x31 -ultieg -ultinen x22 -ultiog -ultinew -ultigw x33 -ultijig -ultinew

In Charts III and IV the form of suffixes vary primarily according to phonological conditioning but apparently some­times suppletively. A major form of each morpheme is used in the charts and since this is not an exhaustive paper variant forms are not accounted for.

The number coding in the charts are interpreted as follows: 1. I am acting.

2. You are acting. 3. He is acting. 21. You and I are acting. 31. He and I are acting. 23. You and he are acting. 34. He and another person are acting. x21. You and I and others are acting. x31. He and I and others are acting. x23. You and he and others are acting. x34. He and another and others are acting.

This leads to a revision of Chart II as follows: Chart V Micmac Order Facts Order Primary Function Form

Person Prefixes Verb Suffixes Independent Independent no PA Conjunct Imperative Imperative no PA Imperative Conjunct Dependent no PA Independent

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The three traditional verb orders indicated here give precedence to verb function in naming the three orders in Micmac. It is important to remember that the forms of the Micmac independent order are derived from what is tradi­tionally known as PA conjunct suffixes, and that the forms of the Micmac conjunct order are derived from what is traditionally known as PA independent suffixes.

II. The Micmac Independent Having noted the changes in the Micmac verbal system

from the Proto-Algonquian system we will now look at the Micmac Independent Indicative verbs. We will confine ourselves to animate intransitive verbs.

Animate intransitive verbs are inflected for person, number, obivation and various modes. Every verb must have person agreement, thus there must be a verb stem and a person agreement marker. These affixes are added to stems by a system of well ordered affix positions. Each position contains certain affixes and only those affixes. Affixes are added to stems through the positions in which they are allowed to line up after the stem. Chart VI shows the linear order in which the positions line up and the affixes which each position contains, in the Micmac Independent Animate Intransitive Verbs.

When one wishes to convey information which involves two affixes which fall in the same affix position both cannot be added to the verb stem in the same affix position.

When there is a conflict of affixes falling in the same affix position the language selects one of the following: I. Introduces a new affix for the same affix position which includes the intended information. 2. Introduces a new affix for a different affix position which will allow both affixes to be added and the necessary information included. 3. Selects one affix and omits the other because the omitted affix is marked some place else in the phrase or clause; or because the ambiguity created is not crucial and cannot be covered by the existing form of the language. To illustrate these principles from Chart VI we will give an example of each principle.

Example 1. When I speak of you alone I add -n to a verb stem. When I speak of someone else I add -t to the verb stem. Now, if I wish to speak of you and him together I certainly cannot use both -n and -t for they come in the same affix position. Therefore a new affix is formed, (namely -og), for the same affix position which allows for the expression of the necessary information.

e.g. gagamin you stand gagamit he stands gagamiog you and he stands

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Example 2. When I speak of something he and another person does Micmac chooses principle 2. A new affix -ig is formed for a different affix position while he which is -t remains in the person agreement position.

e.g. gagamit he stands gagamijig he and another person stands

The -t has become -j when it is followed by an -i.5 Now to proceed further, when I speak of an act which was completed some time ago by these same two persons I must use the Remote interative marker which is -eg. This marker falls in the same affix position as the obviative person marker which is -ig. Thus an alternate obviative person marker is selected which is -iti- and then the necessary expression can be formed.

e.g. gagamijig he and another person stands tan tujiw gagamiititeg when he and another person

stood

Example 3. When I wish to suggest a possible act to you I use the potentialis marker which is -g. Now if I wish to suggest a potential act which you should not do, Micmac chooses principle 3 and omits the negative concord since it is marked elsewhere.

e.g. gamig you should stand mu gamig you shouldn't stand

The person agreement markers list only the major forms. There are allomorphs for each one, and since this paper is not concerned with all morphophonemic rules we will indicate only some of them.

The first person agreement marker -i becomes -ia when it is followed by a consonant -ian when followed by a vowel and zero when followed by nothing and preceded by a consonant, -i or -u.

The third person agreement marker becomes j when followed by -i, -g when preceded by a consonant and zero when followed by -s or -p.

The -ieg form has an alternate which is -eg after con­sonants. Likewise -iog becomes -og after consonants. -Iugw becomes -igw when it is preceded by a CV.

The x plural marker -ulti often undergoes contraction. Chart VII gives examples of mode combinations in the Independent Order.

The major morphophonemic rules given in order which will handle the data in Chart VII are listed below.

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1.

?.

3.

4.

5.

t - j / . j

i •+ i / i

(u] * + *"{* w ->• u / Cons.

t - <t / v

?} p V / u

Cons .

" f f

i a •* aa / Cons. Cons. (optional according to — dialect)

8. p •* 0 Vs

9. n - s* / I

« • Vl {gwj V ' ^ V1 V1 (gwj /

n. V-v,/ (V] V1=V2 12. Vi •+ Vi / v

13. 0 •* o / og Cons. (optional according to dialect)

14. i •* 0 / Cons. Cons.

15. (zf + t / n p

I6- " - V2 / Vx (s) V1=V2

17. w -»• ug / Cons. (optional according to dialect)

18. u ->- (zf / V ggw

19. i -»• 0 / (i = Subjunctive mode)

20. gt •* s / p

21. p •* (zf / C C / w

22. pnp •* og

23. J n I -»• 0 / g (g = potentialis mode)

Obviative

Looking at Chart VI one notices an affix position and an affix that have not been discussed. They are the obviative act-li, and obviative agreement acting alone -1. These forms

~art~

Independent Affix ~

Verb Stem x plural Alternate Alternate Obviative Negative Independent Dub Preterite Obivative

-ulti-

negative obviative

concord

- wi-

agreerrent

marker

- iti-

act- action concord

perfomed

by obviative - w-person

- li- Potentialis

- g-

person

agreerrent

markers -s- -pn-

- i (l)

- n (2)

- t (3)

- iugw (21)

- ieg (31)

- iog (23)

Agreerrent

Acting with third

person

- ig

acting alone

- 1

I!mediate Iterative

-~

Rerrote Iterative

- eg

Subjunctive non- factual

-i

Subjunctive counter factual

- p

I-'

"' -J

Chart VII I-' \0

Major Mode Combinations 00

A Independent B Preterite C Dubitative Preterite D Independent Negative

1 e1ugwei e1ugwaap e1ugwaas mo e1ugwew

2 e1ugwen e1ugweet ' p e1ugwees ' p mo e1ugwewn

3 e1ugwet e1ugwep e1ugwes mo e1ugwegw

21 e1ugweigw e1ugweigup e1ugweigus mo e1ugwewgw

31 e1ugweieg e1ugweieg ' p e1ugweiegs 'p mo e1ugweweg

23 e1ugweiog e1ugweiogop e1ugweiogs ' p mo e1ugwewog

34 e1ugwejig e1ugwepnig e1ugwesnig mo e1ugweegw

x21 e1ugutiigw e1ugutiigup e1ugutiigus mo e1ugutiwgw

X 31 e1ugutieg e1ugutieg ' p e1ugutiegs ' p mo e1ugutiweg

x23 e1ugutiog e1ugtiogop e1ugutiogs ' p mo elugutiwog

x34 e1ugutijig e1ugutipnig e1ugutisnig mo e 1ugutiigw

E Inunedia te Itera.

1 e1ugwei

2 e1ugwen

3 e1ugwej

21 e1ugweigw

31 e1ugweieg

23 e1ugweiog

34 e1ugweetij

x21 e1ugutiigw

x31 e1ugutieg

x23 e1ugutiog

x34 e1ugutiitij

F Remote Intera. G Potentia1is

e1ugwaaneg 1ugweg

e1ugweneg 1ugweg

e1ugweteg 1ugwes

e1ugweigweg 1ugweegup

e1ugweieeg 1ugwegeg

e1ugweioog 1ugwegog

e1ugweetiteg 1ugweetis

e1ugutiigweg 1ugutiigup

e1ugutieeg 1ugutigeg

e1ugutioog 1ugutigog

e1ugutiititeg 1ugutiitis

H Potentia1is Neg .

mu 1ugweg

mu 1ugweg

mu 1ugwewis

mu 1ugweegup

mu 1ugwegeg

mu 1ugwegog

mu 1ugwewiitis

mu 1ugutiigup

mu 1ugutigeg

mu 1ugutigog

mu 1ugutiwiitis

1-'

"' "'

N 0 0

L Subjunctive Dubitative J Potentia1is Preterite K Subjunctive Preterite

1 1ugwegapn 1ugwaan 1ugwaasn

2 1ugwegapn 1ugwen 1ugwees'pn

3 1ugwesog 1ugwej 1ugwesn

21 1ugwegupn 1ugweigw 1ugweigusn

31 1ugwegegpn 1ugweieg 1ugweiegs ' pn

23 1ugwegogpn 1ugweiog 1ugweiogs ' pn

34 1ugweetisog 1ugweetij 1ugweetisn

x21 1ugutiigupn 1ugutiigw 1ugutiigusn

x31 1ugutigegpn 1ugutieg 1ugutiegs'pn

x23 1ugutigogpn 1ugutiog 1ugutiogs ' pn

x34 1ugutiitisog 1ugutiitij 1ugutiitisn

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generally co-occur in the same verbs because you do not have an obviative act unless it is performed by an obviative person. There is an inconsistent method of marking a dual act or a plural act by obviative persons and that is to render obviative agreement -ig as simply -i. This is used inconsistently in the Restigouche dialect. The following three examples illustrate the obviative act concord marker and the obviative person agreement marker. e.g. Saan uggwisl elugwelitl John's son is working.

Saan uggwisg elugweliji(g) John's sons (dual) are working.

Saan unjang elugutiliji(g) John's children (plural) are working.

The two examples which follow are crucial in locating the obviative act concord marker. Mali uggwisg mu elugwewiitilisog

Mary's son's should not have worked. tan tujiw gagamiitiliteg

When they dual obviative were standing...

NOTES

i The work reported here is part of ongoing research on the essential grammar of Micmac. I would like to thank Donald G. Frantz, University of Lethbridge, Alberta and Richard A. Rhodes, University of Michigan for the valuable assistance and encouragement they gave me in preparing this paper. Person prefixes are found on possessed nouns in Micmac. There are three person prefixes, n- first person, g- second person and w-third person. 3 The transcription used in this paper is partly phonemic and partly adapted to native preference and consists of the following phonemes:

stops continuant resonants semivowel vowels

P t j s

m n w

a e i

g

1

o and u

The letter i is used in place of y because of native preference. The semi vowel y occurs between vowels and word finally. The apostrophe is a spelling notation and is roughly equivalent to the schwa phonetically. It is inserted by schwa insertion rules determined by boundaries and consonant clusters. 11 These illustrated forms are found in conjunct complement

plural forms.

202 5 Fidelholtz (1968:31) claims that all -j's can be derived

from -t before -i but this is undoubtedly not the case.

REFERENCES

BLOOMFIELD, L. 1946 Algonquian. H. Hoijer et al., Linguistic Structures

of Native America. 85-129. Viking Fund Publications in Anthropology, No. 6. New York: The Viking Fund.

1957 Eastern Ojibwa. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

FIDELHOLTZ, James L. 1968 Micmac morphonemics. Ph.D. dissertation,

Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

GODDARD, Ives 1969 Delaware verbal morphology: A descriptive and

comparative study. Ph.D. dissertation, Harvard University.

RHODES, Richard A. 1976 The morphosyntax of the Central Ojibwa verb.

Ph.D. dissertation, University of Michigan.

TEETER, Karl V. 1971 The main features of Malecite-Passamaquoddy grammar.

Jesse Sawyer (ed.), Studies in American Indian languages. University of California Publications in Linguistics 65.191-249.

WOLFART, H. Christoph 1973 Plains Cree: A grammatical study. American

Philosophical Society, Transactions, Vol. 63, Pt. 5.