lesson 11 negatives

new vocabulary words for lesson 11

negatives
Verb roots and stems
Ɂý move bís stay, be
throw (rock) bósy spear salmon
hín float húc’ik forget
jéwo: run míɁati do that
drink pánpe to smoke
swim (pan tobacco, -pe attribute)
sól sing túj sleep
Noun roots
cúku acorn mush hýbo home
mùl deep spot mýde black bear
ó: rock pan tobacco
other bèlem again
hájdyk emphatic wí:n no
Suffixes -dí at
-bý prohibitive -kí(t) future
-k’oj away -mé(h) negative
-wono remote past -si upward, up
Pronouns and demonstratives -ámanak to there

-ki(t)-(i)n becomes -ki:n

(general rule: some consonants delete before i, and the two vowels become one long vowel.)

part 1 - negatives

This lesson is how to talk about what didn’t, doesn’t, or won’t happen or what you don’t do or shouldn’t do. All about negatives.

ʔámanakaj   ʔýk’ojméhki:n
I won’t go there.
ʔáma
there
-nak
toward
-aj
stem.​formant
   
ʔý
motion
-k’oj
move.​away
-méh
negative
-ki:
future
-n
verb.​final
   
pánpemèhki:nàj
I’m not going to smoke.
pán
tobacco
-pe
attribute
-mèh
negative
-ki:
future
-nà
I
-j
neutral.​tense
   


ámanak=(h)aj   Ɂýk’ojméhki:n.
I won’t go there.
áma
there
-nak=(h)a
to=be
-j
1st.​prs
   
Ɂýk’oj
go
-méh
not
-ki:
future
-n.
verb.​final
   
pánpemèhki:n=(h)àj
I’m not going to smoke.
pánpe
smoke
-mèh
not
-ki:
future
-n=(h)à
verb.​final=be
-j
1st.​person
   

An interesting set of rules as described by Ultan (in his dissertation): the h of -meh turns into vowel length before i, but then the i disappears after a vowel.

bóhsysame(h)(i)n
(he’s) not in the habit of spearing salmon
bóhsy
spear.​salmon
-sa
habit
-me(h)
not
-(i)n
verb.​final
   

-me(h) is a class 7 thematic suffix, meaning that it will occur after some locational-directional suffixes (classes 1-6) but before tense and other class 8-10 suffixes and the various inflectional suffixes such as person and number.
(See the Verb Chart and review Lesson 6 “The Konkow Verb” if needed.)


Exercise 1

Say the following sentences out loud. Then turn them into negative sentences by adding -meh (or -me if it comes before a vowel) in the appropriate place in the word.

Remember, -me(h) will come after the root and before any inflectional suffixes, such as the verb ending -(i)n. If you come across a suffix and don’t know whether it’s thematic or inflectional, look it up Lesson 6 “The Konkow Verb”

EXAMPLE
Ɂó:ni=haj   bó:(i)n.
I threw the rock.
Ɂó:
rock
-ni=ha
by.​means.​of=be
-j
1st.​pr
   
bó:
throw.​down
-(i)n.
verb.​final
   
Ɂó:ni=haj   bó:me(h)(i)n.
I didn’t throw the rock.
Ɂó:
rock
-ni=ha
by.​means.​of=be
-j
1st.​pr
   
bó:
throw.​down
-me(h)
not
-(i)n.
verb.​final
   
EXERCISE 1
solki(i)n.
He’ll sing.
sol
sing
-ki
future
-(i)n.
verb.​final
   
He won't sing.

mýdem   c’úku   pewono(i)n
The bear ate the acorn mush.
mýde
bear
-m
subj
   
c’úku
acorn.​mush
   
pe
eat
-wono
remote.​past
-(i)n
verb.​final
   
The bear didn’t eat the acorn mush.

hinsikin
He will float up.
hin
float
-si
upward
-ki
future
-n
verb.​final
   
He won’t float up.

wó:nopedèjemo
You (pl) would die.
wó:no
die
-pe
result
-dè
uncertainty
-je
plural
-mo
2nd.​prs
   
You (pl) wouldn’t die.

hýbo:di bísni
Did you stay at home?
hýbo:
home
-di bís
at stay.​there
-ni
2nd.​prs.​question
   
Didn’t you stay at home?


ANSWERS Exercise 1
sólmehki(i)n.
He won’t sing.
sól
sing
-meh
not
-ki
future
-(i)n.
verb.​final
   

mýdem   c’úku   pemehwono(i)n
The bear didn’t eat the acorn mush.
mýde
bear
-m
subj
   
c’úku
acorn.​mush
   
pe
eat
-meh
not
-wono
remote.​past
-(i)n
verb.​final
   

hinsimehki:n.
He won’t float up.
hin
float
-si
upward
-meh
not
-ki:
future
-n.
verb.​final
   

wó:nomehpedèjemo
You (pl) wouldn’t die.
wó:no
die
-meh
result
-pe
not
-dè
uncertainty
-je
plural
-mo
2nd.​prs
   

hýbo:di   bísmehni
Didn’t you stay at home?
hýbo:
home
-di
at
   
bís
stay.​there
-meh
not
-ni
2nd.​prs.​question
   

PART 2 Don’t do it!

The negative suffix -me(h) can also be used in commands.

dó:me:p
Don't bite!
dó:
bite
-me:
not
-p
command
   

Examples:

But more common is the “prohibitive” suffix -by, followed by any dual or plural markers and a person suffix . (The prohibitive is the counterpart of the the “permissive’ suffix -be, which translates as “may do it” “should do it,” or even “better do it”.)
hú:c’ikbỳny !
Don't forget!
hú:c’ik
forget
-bỳ
prohibitive
-ny !
2nd.​person
   

(The second person suffix -no becomes -ny when the previous vowel is y.)

jók’o:bỳny
Don’t hit him!
jók’o:
hit
-bỳ
prohibitive
-ny
2nd.​person
   

The prohibitive suffix -by can also be used for first or third person too, which usually translates as “shouldn’t” or “better not.”

mym   sólby
He’d better not sing!
my
he
-m
subj
   
sól
sing
-by
prohibitive
   
nisam   sólbyjas!
We’d (dual) better not sing!
ni
we
-sa
dual
-m
subj
   
sól
sing
-by
prohibitive
-ja
dual
-s!
1st.​prs
   
Exercise 2

Using the following roots, say them (and write them if you want to) as negative commands, using the -by form. (Review Lesson 9 on person and number marking if needed.):

drink
Don’t drink!
He’d better not drink!
We’d (plural) better not drink!

sleep túj
Don’t sleep (plural)!
They (plural) better not sleep!
I’d better not sleep!

run jéwo:
Don’t run! (dual)
He’d better not run!
We (two) had better not run!

drink
Don’t drink! mobyny!
He’d better not drink! moby!
We’d (plural) better not drink! mobyjes!

sleep tuj
Don’t sleep (plural)! tujbyjem!
They (plural) better not sleep! tujbyje!
I’d better not sleep! tujbys!

run jéwo:
Don’t run! (dual) jéwo:jam!
He’d better not run! jéwo:by!
We (two) had better not run! jéwo:byjas!
PART 3: hajdyk

There is a word that can be used at the very end of these negative commands to make them stronger. It occurs nowhere else except in words that have the -by suffix, and it comes after the number and person suffixes. It adds emphasis to the command, something like “I really mean it!!!”

Examples:
bèlem   míɁatibỳny   hájdyk!
Don’t ever do that again!
bèlem
again
   
míɁati
do.​that
-bỳ
prohibitive
-ny
2nd.​prs
   
hájdyk!
intensive
   
mùlnak   pìk’ok’ójbyja:m   hájdyk!
Don’t you dare swim out to the deep spot!
mùl
deep.​spot
-nak
to
   
swim
-k’o
away(redup)
-k’ój
away
-by
prohibitive
-ja:
dual
-m
2nd.​prs
   
hájdyk!
intensive
   
EXERCISE 3
Using the vocabulary you know from this and any other lessons, construct some negative commands that you might be able to use in your daily life, such as commands to a dog or cat -- like “Don’t bite!” or “Don’t eat that!”
Don’t bite! dó:me:p!