Difference between revisions of "Preverbs"

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==Big (but incomplete!) List of Preverbs==
 
==Big (but incomplete!) List of Preverbs==
  
 +
=Big List of All Preverbs=
  
−
<gl>
+
The following is a list of all the preverbs found to date.
−
\gll
+
 
−
\\
+
{| class="wikitable"
−
\trans
+
! Preverb||Preverb gloss||Category||Position||Example||Example gloss
−
</gl>
+
|-
 +
| pem-
 +
| by
 +
| direction
 +
| 1
 +
| ''pem-iet''
 +
| "s/he goes by"
 +
|-
 +
| enm-
 +
| away, home
 +
| direction
 +
| 1
 +
| ''enm-iet''
 +
| "s/he goes away/home"
 +
|-
 +
| wej((i)qua)-
 +
| towards
 +
| direction
 +
| 1
 +
| ''wejuw-et''
 +
| "s/he goes towards..."
 +
|-
 +
| el-
 +
| to (away)
 +
| direction
 +
| 1
 +
| ''el-iet''
 +
| "s/he goes to..."
 +
|-
 +
| al-
 +
| around, any direction
 +
| direction
 +
| 1
 +
| ''al-a'si-t''
 +
| "s/he wanders around"
 +
|-
 +
| apaj-/apij-
 +
| back (return)
 +
| direction
 +
| 1
 +
| ''apij-a'si-t''
 +
| "s/he comes back"
 +
|-
 +
| gigtoqw-
 +
| around, encircle
 +
| direction
 +
| 1
 +
| ''gigtoqw-a'si-t''
 +
| "s/he goes around..."
 +
|-
 +
| toqjuw-
 +
| up (e.g. stairs)
 +
| direction
 +
| 1
 +
| ''toqjuw-a'si-t''
 +
| "s/he goes up (e.g. stairs)"
 +
|-
 +
| (e)jig'l-
 +
| to a different spot
 +
| direction
 +
| 1
 +
| ''ejig'l-a'si-t''
 +
| "s/he moves to a different spot"
 +
|-
 +
| menj-
 +
| up (from reclining position)
 +
| direction
 +
| 1
 +
| ''menj-a'si-t''
 +
| "s/he gets up (e.g. out of bed)"
 +
|-
 +
| asaqom-
 +
| across (to Campbellton)
 +
| direction
 +
| 1
 +
| ''asaqom-a'si-t''
 +
| "s/he is going across, to Campbellton"
 +
|-
 +
| ugtejg-
 +
| back of (house, classroom)
 +
| direction
 +
| 1
 +
| ''ugtejg-a'si-t''
 +
| "I am going to the back"
 +
|-
 +
| matam-
 +
| to end (e.g. of driveway)
 +
| direction
 +
| 1
 +
| ''matam-a'si''
 +
| "I go to the end (of the road/driveway)"
 +
|-
 +
| pesg-
 +
| into (road)
 +
| direction
 +
| 1
 +
| ''pesg-a'si''
 +
| "I pull into the driveway"
 +
|-
 +
| utan-
 +
| to town
 +
| direction
 +
| 1
 +
| ''utan-a'si''
 +
| "I go to town"
 +
|-
 +
| wanu-
 +
| to the cove
 +
| direction
 +
| 1
 +
| ''wann-a'si''
 +
| "I go towards the cove"
 +
|-
 +
| jaqal-
 +
| quickly, energetically
 +
| manner
 +
| 3
 +
| ''jaqal-e'g''
 +
| "s/he is fast"
 +
|-
 +
| awan-
 +
| awkward, unskilled
 +
| manner? state?
 +
| 1
 +
| ''awan-e'g''
 +
| "s/he is awkward"
 +
|-
 +
| etl-
 +
| in the process of
 +
| aspect1
 +
| 7
 +
| ''etl-wissugwatm-apn''
 +
| "I was in the process of cooking them (inan)"
 +
|-
 +
| wel-
 +
| good/fine
 +
| state
 +
| 1
 +
| ''wel-e'g''
 +
| "s/he is good/fine"
 +
|-
 +
| poqju-
 +
| begin, start (to)
 +
| aspect2
 +
| 5
 +
| ''poqju-wissugwatm-apn''
 +
| "I began to cook them (inan)"
 +
|-
 +
| getu-
 +
| want
 +
| mode
 +
| 6
 +
| ''getu-wissugwatm-apn''
 +
| "I wanted to cook them (inan)"
 +
|-
 +
| minu-
 +
| again (re-)
 +
| quantity?
 +
| 4
 +
| ''minu-wissugwatm-apn''
 +
| "I re-cooked them (inan)"
 +
|-
 +
| siew-
 +
| continue
 +
| quantity?
 +
| 4
 +
| ''siew-wissugwatm-apn''
 +
| "I continued cooking them (inan)"
 +
|-
 +
| amujpa-
 +
| have to
 +
| mode
 +
| 6
 +
| ''amujpa-wissugwatm-apn''
 +
| "I had to cook them (inan)"
 +
|-
 +
| etugjel-
 +
| might, maybe
 +
| mode
 +
| 6
 +
| ''etugjel-wissugwatm-apn''
 +
| "I might have cooked them (inan)"
 +
|-
 +
| gaqi-
 +
| finish
 +
| aspect2
 +
| 5
 +
| ''gaqi-wissugwatm-apn''
 +
| "I finished cooking them (inan)"
 +
|-
 +
| gisi-
 +
| can, be able to
 +
| mode
 +
| 6
 +
| ''gisi-wissugwatm-apn''
 +
| "I was able to cook them (inan)"
 +
|-
 +
| nata-
 +
| skilled (at), knowledgeable
 +
| mode
 +
| 6
 +
| ''nata-wissugwatm-apn''
 +
| "I was skilled at cooking them (inan)"
 +
|-
 +
| amal-
 +
| in a disorganized/awkward fashion
 +
| state?
 +
| (1?)
 +
| ''amal-g-at''
 +
| "s/he dances (walks awkwardly)"
 +
|-
 +
| mal-
 +
| lazy
 +
| state?
 +
| (1?)
 +
| ''mal-eig''
 +
| "s/he is lazy"
 +
|-
 +
| tel-
 +
| condition/state
 +
| state?
 +
| (1?)
 +
| ''tel-iaq,'' ''tel-eig''
 +
| "it happened, it is true," "s/he has a condition, is in a mood, is pregnant"
 +
|-
 +
| gesigew-
 +
| loudly, quickly and loudly
 +
| manner
 +
| 3
 +
| ''gesigew-wissugwatm-apn''
 +
| "I cooked them (inan) loudly"
 +
|-
 +
| mili-
 +
| (?) many, a lot
 +
| mode
 +
| 6
 +
| ''mili-t-asi-t''
 +
| "s/he has a lot of thoughts, is stressed"
 +
|-
 +
| nuji-
 +
| skilled at
 +
| mode
 +
| 6
 +
| ''nuji-wissugwatm-apn''
 +
| "I was skilled at cooking them (inan)"
 +
|-
 +
| lnu-
 +
| (of the) people (i.e. Mi'gmaq)
 +
| state?
 +
| 1
 +
| ''lnu-amal-g-at"
 +
| "s/he danced a traditional dance"
 +
|-
 +
| inn-ui- (alternate form of lnu-)
 +
| Native/peoples' (language)
 +
| incorporated noun? state?
 +
| 1
 +
| ''innui-si-t''
 +
| "s/he speaks the language of the people (Mi'gmaq)"
 +
|-
 +
| aqat-
 +
| half
 +
| quantity
 +
| 2
 +
| ''aqati'si''
 +
| "I speak half Mi'gmaq half English"
 +
|-
 +
| gaqisg-
 +
| frequently
 +
| manner
 +
| (3)
 +
| ''gaqisg-wissugwatm-apn''
 +
| "I cooked them (inan) frequently"
 +
|-
 +
| teg-
 +
| intentionally?
 +
| manner?
 +
| (3?)
 +
| ''teg-tes-g-at''
 +
| "s/he kicks (something anim)"
 +
|-
 +
| me-
 +
| more (?), non-volitional?
 +
| state? quantity
 +
| (1? 2?)
 +
| ''me-tes-g-m''
 +
| "I am hitting (something)"
 +
|-
 +
| metu-
 +
| difficult
 +
| mode?
 +
| 3
 +
| ''metuw-eig''
 +
| "it is difficult to come by, find"
 +
|-
 +
| wenju-
 +
| French (person), foolish
 +
| state?
 +
| (1?)
 +
| ''wenjuw-et''
 +
| "s/he acts foolishly"
 +
|-
 +
| wenju-wi
 +
| French (language)
 +
| state?
 +
| 1
 +
| ''wenju-wi-si-t''
 +
| "s/he speaks French"
 +
|-
 +
| alman-uwi
 +
| German (language)
 +
| state?
 +
| 1
 +
| ''alman-uwi-si-t"
 +
| "s/he speaks German"
 +
|-
 +
| gimi-
 +
| secretively, surreptitiously
 +
| manner
 +
| 3
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
| newti-
 +
| one, one one's own, alone
 +
| quantity
 +
| 2
 +
| ''newti-al-a'si-t''
 +
| "s/he wanders around alone"
 +
|-
 +
| toqi-
 +
| the two of them
 +
| quantity
 +
| 2
 +
| ''toqi-al-a'si-jig''
 +
| ''they two wander around together''
 +
|-
 +
| mesi-
 +
| difficult, difficulty
 +
| mode
 +
| 5
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
| melgi-
 +
| hard (physical)
 +
| state?
 +
| (1?)
 +
|
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
| i-
 +
| used to
 +
| time? aspect? state?
 +
| 7
 +
| ''i-wissugwatm-apn pisgit-l''
 +
| "I used to cook cookies"
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
===Things that look like preverbs but aren't===
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
! Preverb||Preverb gloss||Category||Position||Example||Example gloss
 +
|-
 +
| gi's-
 +
| by then, already
 +
| time
 +
| 8
 +
| ''gi's-wissugwatm-apn''
 +
| "I already cooked them"
 +
|-
 +
| sangew-
 +
| slowly, calmly, deliberately, carefully
 +
| time
 +
| 8
 +
| ''sangew-e'g''
 +
| "s/he is slow, calm"
 +
|-
 +
| esteti-
 +
| always
 +
| time
 +
| 8
 +
| ''esteti-wissugwatm-apn''
 +
| "I always cooked them (inan)"
 +
|-
 +
| app-
 +
| again (high scope)
 +
| time
 +
| 8
 +
| ''app-wissugwatm-apn''
 +
| "I cooked them (inan) again"
 +
|-
 +
| assma-
 +
| be about to
 +
| time
 +
| 8
 +
| ''assma-wissugwatm-apn''
 +
| "I was about to cook them (inan)"
 +
|}

Revision as of 12:22, 19 October 2012

A preverb is an element found at the left edge of a verb in Mi'gmaq that modifies the meaning of the root and any other preverbs to the right of it. Some of the meanings that are expressed in Mi'gmaq using preverbs are expressed in other languages such as English as adverbs (e.g. jaqal- "quickly, energetically"), prepositions (e.g. toqjuw- "up"), modal verbs (e.g. getu- "want (to)"), prefixes (e.g. minu- "re-"), other verbs (e.g. poqju- "begin (to)"), and other expressions (e.g. etl- "in the process of, be __ing"), although not all elements that belong to one of these categories in English are expressed as preverbs in Mi'gmaq, such as igtug "at, near (location)," which is found after nouns, not before verbs. Delisle and Metallic (1976) suggest that there are several hundred preverbs: some examples are below. 

  1. poqju-wissugwa-t-m-ap     
begin-cook-inan-1sg-past  
    'I started cooking it '
  1. newti-wissugwa-t-m-ap   
one-cook-inan-1sg-past  
    'I cooked it alone '
  1. getu-  poqju-  mamuni-     espi-   inn-ui-      sit   
want-  start-  high,very-  level-  people-lang  -3sg  
    's/he wants to start to speak the people's language (Mi'gmaq) at a very high level'
    (sample context: said of an enthusiastic student of Mi'gmaq)

What Can Preverbs Attach To?

Preverbs are found only when attached to another verb. There are two kinds of verbs in this context: independent verbs, which can occur without a preverb, and dependent verbs, which must have some preverb attached to them.

Independent Verbs

Independent verbs, such as wissugwa- "cook", can be found by themselves or with a preverb. 

  1. wissugwa-t-m-ap   
cook-inan-1sg-pa  
    'I cooked it'
  1. etl-wissugwa-t-m-ap                    
process              cook-inan-1sg-pa  
    'I was cooking it'
  1. me'si-wissugwa-t-m-ap        
difficulty-cook-inan-1sg-pa  
    'I had difficulty cooking it'
  1. ala-wissugwa-t-m-ap      
around-cook-inan-1sg-pa  
    'I cooked it in any direction'

Dependent Verbs

Dependent verbs, like -lugwe- "work, do", '-'enmi- "laugh", and - "cry" can only be found with a preverb (they don't sound right without one). 

  1. *lugwe-t  
work-3an  
    's/he works'
  1. e-lugwe-t   
?-work-3an  
    's/he works'
  1. etl-lugwe-t       
process-work-3an  
    's/he is working'

Unattached Preverbs?

esteti/nata. 

  1. amujpa   wissugwa-t-m-ap     
have.to  cook-inan-1sg-past  
    'I had to cook it'
  1. mu   amujpa   wissugwa-t-m-u-ap       
not  have.to  cook-inan-1sg-neg-past  
    'I didn't have to cook it'
  1. amujpa   mu   wissugwa-t-m-u-ap       
have.to  not  cook-inan-1sg-neg-past  
    'I had to not cook it'

Several Preverbs at Once

Slots

Tentative slots

Position 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Verb
Category aspect1 mode aspect2 duration? manner quantity direction, state VERB
Sample preverb etl- mesi- poqji- minu- gimi- newti- al-, wel- asit
Gloss process difficulty start again, re- secretively alone around, good go.3sg


What this template describes

We can use the template as a guide for combining preverbs if we know what their positions are. For example, let's say we have the three preverbs etl- "in the process of" (position 7), poqju- "start" (position 5), and newti- "alone" (position 2), plus the verb wissugwatman "I cook them." We know that the verb is going to be the furthest to the right (position 0). We then add preverbs to it in order from the lowest position to the highest, so that the highest number preverb is leftmost one, and the lowest number is the rightmost, just before the verb. This correct ordering is shown in the example below, with the preverb positions indicated for clarity. 

  1. etl-poqju-newti-wissugwatman               
process(7)-start(5)-alone(2)-cook.1sg.3pl  
    'I am in the process of beginning to cook them by myself'


  1. \gll

    \trans

Several Orders

  1. \gll

    \trans


Big (but incomplete!) List of Preverbs

Big List of All Preverbs

The following is a list of all the preverbs found to date.

Preverb Preverb gloss Category Position Example Example gloss
pem- by direction 1 pem-iet "s/he goes by"
enm- away, home direction 1 enm-iet "s/he goes away/home"
wej((i)qua)- towards direction 1 wejuw-et "s/he goes towards..."
el- to (away) direction 1 el-iet "s/he goes to..."
al- around, any direction direction 1 al-a'si-t "s/he wanders around"
apaj-/apij- back (return) direction 1 apij-a'si-t "s/he comes back"
gigtoqw- around, encircle direction 1 gigtoqw-a'si-t "s/he goes around..."
toqjuw- up (e.g. stairs) direction 1 toqjuw-a'si-t "s/he goes up (e.g. stairs)"
(e)jig'l- to a different spot direction 1 ejig'l-a'si-t "s/he moves to a different spot"
menj- up (from reclining position) direction 1 menj-a'si-t "s/he gets up (e.g. out of bed)"
asaqom- across (to Campbellton) direction 1 asaqom-a'si-t "s/he is going across, to Campbellton"
ugtejg- back of (house, classroom) direction 1 ugtejg-a'si-t "I am going to the back"
matam- to end (e.g. of driveway) direction 1 matam-a'si "I go to the end (of the road/driveway)"
pesg- into (road) direction 1 pesg-a'si "I pull into the driveway"
utan- to town direction 1 utan-a'si "I go to town"
wanu- to the cove direction 1 wann-a'si "I go towards the cove"
jaqal- quickly, energetically manner 3 jaqal-e'g "s/he is fast"
awan- awkward, unskilled manner? state? 1 awan-e'g "s/he is awkward"
etl- in the process of aspect1 7 etl-wissugwatm-apn "I was in the process of cooking them (inan)"
wel- good/fine state 1 wel-e'g "s/he is good/fine"
poqju- begin, start (to) aspect2 5 poqju-wissugwatm-apn "I began to cook them (inan)"
getu- want mode 6 getu-wissugwatm-apn "I wanted to cook them (inan)"
minu- again (re-) quantity? 4 minu-wissugwatm-apn "I re-cooked them (inan)"
siew- continue quantity? 4 siew-wissugwatm-apn "I continued cooking them (inan)"
amujpa- have to mode 6 amujpa-wissugwatm-apn "I had to cook them (inan)"
etugjel- might, maybe mode 6 etugjel-wissugwatm-apn "I might have cooked them (inan)"
gaqi- finish aspect2 5 gaqi-wissugwatm-apn "I finished cooking them (inan)"
gisi- can, be able to mode 6 gisi-wissugwatm-apn "I was able to cook them (inan)"
nata- skilled (at), knowledgeable mode 6 nata-wissugwatm-apn "I was skilled at cooking them (inan)"
amal- in a disorganized/awkward fashion state? (1?) amal-g-at "s/he dances (walks awkwardly)"
mal- lazy state? (1?) mal-eig "s/he is lazy"
tel- condition/state state? (1?) tel-iaq, tel-eig "it happened, it is true," "s/he has a condition, is in a mood, is pregnant"
gesigew- loudly, quickly and loudly manner 3 gesigew-wissugwatm-apn "I cooked them (inan) loudly"
mili- (?) many, a lot mode 6 mili-t-asi-t "s/he has a lot of thoughts, is stressed"
nuji- skilled at mode 6 nuji-wissugwatm-apn "I was skilled at cooking them (inan)"
lnu- (of the) people (i.e. Mi'gmaq) state? 1 lnu-amal-g-at" "s/he danced a traditional dance"
inn-ui- (alternate form of lnu-) Native/peoples' (language) incorporated noun? state? 1 innui-si-t "s/he speaks the language of the people (Mi'gmaq)"
aqat- half quantity 2 aqati'si "I speak half Mi'gmaq half English"
gaqisg- frequently manner (3) gaqisg-wissugwatm-apn "I cooked them (inan) frequently"
teg- intentionally? manner? (3?) teg-tes-g-at "s/he kicks (something anim)"
me- more (?), non-volitional? state? quantity (1? 2?) me-tes-g-m "I am hitting (something)"
metu- difficult mode? 3 metuw-eig "it is difficult to come by, find"
wenju- French (person), foolish state? (1?) wenjuw-et "s/he acts foolishly"
wenju-wi French (language) state? 1 wenju-wi-si-t "s/he speaks French"
alman-uwi German (language) state? 1 alman-uwi-si-t" "s/he speaks German"
gimi- secretively, surreptitiously manner 3
newti- one, one one's own, alone quantity 2 newti-al-a'si-t "s/he wanders around alone"
toqi- the two of them quantity 2 toqi-al-a'si-jig they two wander around together
mesi- difficult, difficulty mode 5
melgi- hard (physical) state? (1?)
i- used to time? aspect? state? 7 i-wissugwatm-apn pisgit-l "I used to cook cookies"

Things that look like preverbs but aren't

Preverb Preverb gloss Category Position Example Example gloss
gi's- by then, already time 8 gi's-wissugwatm-apn "I already cooked them"
sangew- slowly, calmly, deliberately, carefully time 8 sangew-e'g "s/he is slow, calm"
esteti- always time 8 esteti-wissugwatm-apn "I always cooked them (inan)"
app- again (high scope) time 8 app-wissugwatm-apn "I cooked them (inan) again"
assma- be about to time 8 assma-wissugwatm-apn "I was about to cook them (inan)"
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