na notas? 'na kitohkfman? omakauk ninawahk...

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..................................................... a LESSON 20 (NAZI PO) Vocabulary: aiKIPANISZI = to be in a hurry kipitaki old woman nazipo, nizipo aiSZIPOSTUYIMI = to be twenty ninihkasim (in.) = a name; twenty; nazi pi (an.) years old nizinihkasim = my name nazipoyi (in.); iszipo, NAZIPliaw = there (they) are 20. ninihkiazis = musical iszipi (an.), -iszipoyi (in.) UKI (aiUKIAKI) to close, shut instrument, music (combining forms) KAWAI PIX I box, phonograph; ani, eni = like, as (aiKAWAIPIXISTAKI) to open pI. -asisz kyene (ki + eni) = that's all, aiOHZIMI =to hear, understand ninihkisini music, song; the end (to finish a pI. -sisz speech or story) ihtainihkiopi = violin ana where? kizim(i) door, gate, ana = that right there (of house or tipi) (in.) that one, he, she The Demonstrative ANA: This is a demonstratives that is often used as a pronoun. Like AMO and OMA, it has no fixed accent, but in common speech it often drops its initial A- to become simply 'NA, which can mean "he", "she" and even "where'?" Here is its declension: singular 3rd person animate ANA, 'NA 4th person animate ANI, 'NI ANIXI all inanimates ANI ANISZI Relative Pronouns: An especially important function of ANA is its use to form relative pronouns, meaning "who", "which", "that". 'fo do this, simply add -HK to the singulars and -SK to the plurals. singular plural animate ANAHK (who, that) ANIXISK inanimate ANIHK (which, that) ANISZISK These forms can be verbalized by adding -AYE: anahkA YE, anixiskAYE, anihkAYE, and anisziskA YEo ANIHKAYE also means "that's why, because". Congruence: These same relative suffixes (-HK and -SK) are added to other words in the relative "clause" or complex, but particularly to the verb: anahk Pikanikoanahk (he) who (is) a Piegan; anahk omahkawahk (he) who is running. With a little practice, this custom should be easy enough to pick up since it serves to bind the whole relative complex together. Page 46 A Blackfoot Language Study Piegan Institute, Browning MT, 1996.

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.....................................................a

LESSON 20 (NAZI PO)

Vocabulary:

aiKIPANISZI = to be in a hurry kipitaki old woman nazipo, nizipo aiSZIPOSTUYIMI = to be twenty ninihkasim (in.) = a name; twenty; nazi pi (an.)

years old nizinihkasim = my name nazipoyi (in.); iszipo, NAZIPliaw = there (they) are 20. ninihkiazis = musical iszipi (an.), -iszipoyi (in.) UKI (aiUKIAKI) to close, shut instrument, music (combining forms)

KAWAI PIX I box, phonograph; ani, eni = like, as (aiKAW AIPIXISTAKI) to open pI. -asisz kyene (ki + eni) = that's all,

aiOHZIMI =to hear, understand ninihkisini music, song; the end (to finish a pI. -sisz speech or story)

ihtainihkiopi = violin ana where? kizim(i) door, gate, ana = that right there

(of house or tipi) (in.) that one, he, she

The Demonstrative ANA:

This is a demonstratives that is often used as a pronoun. Like AMO and OMA, it has no fixed accent, but in common speech it often drops its initial A- to become simply 'NA, which can mean "he", "she" and even "where'?" Here is its declension:

singular 3rd person animate ANA, 'NA 4th person animate ANI, 'NI ANIXI all inanimates ANI ANISZI

Relative Pronouns: An especially important function of ANA is its use to form relative pronouns, meaning "who", "which", "that". 'fo do this, simply add -HK to the singulars and -SK to the plurals.

singular plural animate ANAHK (who, that) ANIXISK inanimate ANIHK (which, that) ANISZISK

These forms can be verbalized by adding -AYE: anahkA YE, anixiskA YE, anihkA YE, and anisziskA YEo ANIHKA YE also means "that's why, because".

Congruence:

These same relative suffixes (-HK and -SK) are added to other words in the relative "clause" or complex, but particularly to the verb: anahk Pikanikoanahk (he) who (is) a Piegan; anahk omahkawahk (he) who is running. With a little practice, this custom should be easy enough to pick up since it serves to bind the whole relative complex together.

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A Blackfoot Language Study Piegan Institute, Browning MT, 1996.

Exercises:

'Na notas? 'Na kitohkfman? Omakauk ninawahk amiwahk. Anahk nitohkitupihk ponokawmitahk aiistapoxkasiw. Anihk kitaisapihk spixinaxinihk sokapiw. The books that I read are big (ones). Where are those books? That old man is the chief. Where is the war-bonnet? Where are my glasses? can't see.

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A Blackfoot Language Study Piegan Institute, Browning MT, 1996.

...........-------------------------------­LESSON 21 (NAZIPO NIZIKOPUTO)

Vocabulary:

(I)SZISO to go nin'na = my father omahkaistuyi =all winter long

in, go into town nohkowa my son, nohkof (voc) (i)szisohzi in the woods,

IKI = blow (on a wind nixisla = my mother in town

instrument) nisa = my elder brother ikip-zis (in.) whistle, flute

(aiIKI) niskuna ::::: my younger brother etc. mSlsa my younger sister, etc.

ninisla ::::: my elder sister, etc. sik-isziso = moose

azoasko forest (in.) naahsa = my grandparent moapspi my eye (an.) Naahsinan(a) =the government

kokona =little girl: pI. kokoax;! ("our grandpa")

voc.k6koa

Counti1lg Within the Decades:

To form the numerals between the decades, we first name the number of the decade (in this case "twenty" mizipo), then the number used for the "teen" (in this case "eleven" or nizik6puto). Both animate and inanimate forms exist for both, as we already know, and must be used together according as the object enumerated is animate or inanimate; e.g. 56 = nisizfpo naik6puto (neutral), nisizfpi naikopuzi (an.), nisizipoyi mlikoputoyi (in.).

Kinship Terms:

Kinship is reckoned differently in different cultures. In the Blackfeet system nixlsta means "my aunt" as well as "my mother"; niskun(a) means "my younger brother, sister, cousin, nephew, niece but of a male speaker only, and its plural is niskaix. Nisfsa has all these same meanings but refers back to a female speaker only, and its plural is nislsix. Nfsa-has only -S- for its root but may include a glottal stop (n1+5a) and means "my elder brother, cousin, uncle, son-in-law" of a male speaker, and its plural is nisix. Nfnista (commonly cut to nin'sta or nlll+sta) means "my elder sister, cousin, etc. of a female speaker. Its root is NIST and its plural niniszix or nin'szix. And finally naahsa refers to a grandparent of either sex or to a parent-in-law. None of these kinship terms is ever used without a personal possessive prefix and sometimes \vith a suffix as welL It is important to realize that in Blackfeet, as in other American Indian languages and world-views and in some also of eastem Asia, nothing exists apal1 from its relationships. (Quite unlike Englishl) This reminds us also of "field theory" in modem subatomic physics and relativity. So the "old ones" were not behind the times after alL Possession: To indicate these relationships, we show "possession", as the notion is rather sloppily called in English (can anyone "possess" or "own" his relatives?) The basic rule of "possession" to remember is this: If the possessor is 3rd person, the possessed is 4th. If the possessor is 4th person, the possessed is 5th. 1st and 2nd persons, of course, can possess either of the others.

Pronominal Prefrxes:

Verbs Verbs and Nouns Nouns

1st person )JIT­ NI­ NO- &N­2nd person KIT­ KI- KO- & K­3rd person (OT-) 0- 0- & M- ("someone's" for M-) 4th person OT- 0­

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A Blackfoot Language Study Piegan Institute, Browning MT, 1996.

OT- is rare in 3rd person. Otherwise we are already well acquainted with the first column. The prefixes M- and MO- mean "someone's" or non-specified relationship. This may have something to do with the dropping of initial M- so frequent in Blackfeet. Perhaps we are dropping the unspecified relationship in order to put another prefix in its place which will denote a more specific relationship. Notice that the horizontal series for person across lhe board is also used for 1st person inclusive. suffixes will appear in the next lesson. Caution! You must notice that nouns possessed really involve two persons, and not the fictitious unilateral relations imagined in English. The two persons, of course, are the owner and the thing owned. 1st or 2nd person may possess 3rd or 4th, but 3rd possesses 4th. Thus. nin'na (root N'N or N+N) carries NI- for the 1st person possessor, but the father himself must therefore be 3rd person which is shown by the ending -A. (On other words the 3rd person ending would be -W, WA or -M.) But his/her father has to be on'ni, the 0- for the 3rd person possessor and the -I to make the father 4th person or obviative. A vocarive form for "father" (i.e. used in address) is nin'nil. So we have altogether these singular forms: my father nin'na; your father =kfn'na; his/her father = un'ni ..My mother =nixfsta: your mother kixfsta: his/her mother = (T>Z before I). If all this seems complicated, that is the pricE we must pay to have a language that is logical instead of gibberish.

Exercises:

Form the singular possessives of the kinship forms we now know. Notice that none of them can ever stand alone, without any affix showing relationship. Some other nouns are like that too. So give the singular possessives of

notas, nokos, moapspi, nohpsi.

The following diagram may prove helpful. Perhaps you can make up others like it:

younger

of a male SKAN

of a female SIS

older

-S­

NIST (N'ST)

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------------------------------------....... A Blackfoot Language Study Piegan Institute, Browning MT, 1996.

......----------------------------------.... LESSON 22 (NAZIPO NAZIKOPUTO)

Vocabulary:

auTAKOw it is evening. mam! :::: fish

aiPAPUm = it's lightning. aohsin :::: berry soup

AMOZA (auMOZAKI) = to conquer, defeat apani butterfly

ANISZI = to do, make,obey, mind Apatohsitapi =a Canadian

MIZIHTA, (aiIZIHT(A)) :::: to think, endure; (IHTA apis = rope

is a very difficult Algouquin root for mental activity) mini (in.) pI. minisz =berry fruit;

MIHKA, (auMIHTA) :::: to fish inaksini = raisin;

NIZI w =to be the same. (sik)omahxini prune

(M)INANI == to have, own, possess anohk(a)-xiszikoi = today

imin :::: possession thing kanai-xiszikoisx =everyday, daily

Pronominal Su.fJixes:

These occur only on nouns to show possession or some similar relationship:

1st person exclusive -NAN (-INAN, -INANA) inclusive -NUN (-INUN, -INUNA)

2nd person -OWAW (-OWAWA) 3rd person -OWAWAI etc.

In addition to these, there is a common Algonquian suffix to indicate alienable possession: -M or -MI. It is not often used on body parts or kinship terms.

Sample Paradigms:

"father" -N'N­

my nin'na our (excl.) nin'nan our (inel.) kfn'nun

your kfn'na your (pl.) kin'nowaw his/her un'ni their un'nowawai

"mother" XIST or KRIST (The vocative is ml+a)

nixfsta nixfstanan kixistinun

kixfsta kixfstowaw oxfszi oxfstowawai

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I A Blackfoot Language Study Piegan Institute, Browning MT, 1996.

The plural paradigm for "child" -KOS-, will demonstrate how the plural suffix is attached after the possessive suffix. This the singular is nokos, kokos, okos, nokosinan, kokosinun, kokosiwaw, 6kosiwawai. The Plural is:

nokosix (excI.) nokosinanix (incL) kokosinunix

kokosix k6kosiwawaix okosix 6kosiwawaix

The paradigm for "chief', NINA, illustrates the use of the alienable possessive suffix -M, -1M:

nizfna (i)m (excI.) nizinaiminan (incl.) kizfnaiminun

kizfnaim kizfnaimowaw ozfnaim oznaimowawai

The paradigm for "old man", NAPl, is a bit peculiar:

ninapim (excl.) ninapiminan (inc1.) kinapiminun

kinapim kinapimowaw onapim onapimowawai

More irregular is the paradigm for "aRROW", UPSI, because of the insertion of OH-:

nohpsi (excI.) nohpsinan (incl.) kohpsinun

kohpsi kohpsowaw ohpsi ohpsowawai

The plural of which will serve as an exemplar of plural animates:

nohpsisz (exc1.) n6hpsfnanisz (inc1.) k6hpsinunisz

kohpsisz k6hps6waisz ohpsisz 6hps6wawaisz

Some other peculiar forms are: APtS fol1ow~ the pattern nit6pim (my rope) etc. KIPITAKI (old woman) becomes nipitam etc. (with the implication of "my wife" etc.!) MISZIS becomes niziszim (my stick) etc. AKI possessed means "sister" and takes the pattern nta kim etc., used by males. MAMI follows the schema nitomfm etc. IMITA (of which the root becomes OMITA when prefixes are attached) becomes nit6mitam etc. fXISAKO takes the forms nit6xisakom etc.

An especially useful--and regular- word is INAN. Coupled with the possessive affixes it comes to mean "mine, yours, his" etc. Its singular paradigm runs this way:

nfzinan . niziminnan . ~kizinannun

kizinan kizinanowaw ozinan

~~. ozinanoaiaw

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A Blackfoot Language Study Piegan Institute, Browning MT, 1996.

Its plural paradigm:

[1]zinanisz. nizinannanisz kizinannunisz

kizinanisz kizinanoa w a1 sz ozinarisz oziminoawaisz

Examples:

Kiziminaz? A, nizinan(aiye): Is it yours'! Yes, it is mine. spfximixin kizim'in. nizinan niuoxkai spixinaxin. = This book is yours. I have three books (or books are mine.) nizinan can come at the beginning or the end of the sentence. As your may noticed, can be verbalized and so can be regarded as a noun or a verb "to have, own, possess". Thus it becomes a part of the verb which loses its initial M - when a prefix is used, and also drops the final- I if nothing follows. It is another example of an "intransitive" verb used transitively: niziNAN' or niUiiINAN' etc.

Exercises:

Conjugate the verb MIN ANI.

Translate: That horse is mine. No, it's not mine. Is it his? Does he own that house? have many horses. My father has many horses. They have five dogs. How many an-ows do you have?

Give the possessive paradigms singular and plural of NAMAAw. NAMAII. NAAHSA? NISISA, KIPITAKI, NINA, NOTAS, NISKUN.

Translate: Zanizi-tapi(waz) kisix? Nisix ihkizikamiaw. Zanizf-tapi kiskawawix? Niskunanix niuoxkamiaw. Taka otuniwaz? Taka otasaz? Here is a group of old idioms recorded by Lanning at Benton long ago. (nizlw is the verbal fonn for nit6wa, nitoi): Niziw nitanisin; nizlw otanisin; nitoxkaw nizipoahsin; nitoxkaw ozfpoahsin; mitokaw kizfpoahsin. Zakizinihkasim? Nizinihkasim Sixi-Pita. Ahsaz? 'Na ninamaw. Nizihpuahsin Sixikai-ipuahsin? (Ahsa) kitaiapihpa? Nim<itaiapihpa. Takaz? Nimataiapihpinana maHipi. Zanizim ihkizika ki niso? Nizikoputo. Zanizima kotasix? Naiiaw. Zanizftapi kin'sszix? Pihxiaw. Zanizowa kohpsisz? Nawiaw.

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A Blackfoot Language Study Piegan Institute, Browning MT, 1996.

LESSON 23 (NAZIPO NIKOPUTO)

Vocabulary:

OKOSI = to give birth paht6ki = pine (an.) as- young, small PUKA, (aiPUKAKI to wake up) -sixim (an.), -sixiw (in.) = saki- still PIXINI, (aiPIXINI) = to be lean, tree, stick pixini- skinny, thin, lean

skinny asizixim =aspen, cottonwood (a.) ist6hk- = thin, skinny ApOHSI, (auAPOHSn =to be faL sikokini birch (in.) slkokinisz (pI. ) oxipis willow

stout asaitahta =creek

ISTOHKSIw (an.). -oko- =lodge, home, tipi.;

ISTOHKIw (in.) to be thin, nok6wa my lodge;

skinny okoai =his/ her lodge OPI =to have arrow(s) itUn'niopi = agency, Browning aiPIw ::;: he has a

How to Identify Relationships:

To claim kinship and identify intimate possession is a simple process. The common way to say. for example, "Red Eagle is my father", --She is my mother", "I am his father", "You are my brother", etc. is to use the appropriate nouns and pronouns without any copula: Mahxi-Pita nin'naw: oma nixfsta: nist6wa un'ni; kist6,va niskan'. But the negatives of such expressions present more of a problem. "He is not my father" must derive from a hypothetical positive for nitun'na and so turns out to be "(oma) nimatun'naz." Can you pick out the element that shows this to mean "He is not my father" rather than "I am not his father"'? Here are a few more illustrations:

kimatun'naz = he is not your father. nimatoxistaz = she is not my mother (kO) ki.matoxistaz she is not your mother. kimatakawaz = he is not your friend. am6 nimatohk this is not my bucket. kin'naz = is he your father?

Possession: Verbalized Nouns:

Though Blackfeet does have verbs for "to be" and "to have". as we have seen, it oft"" prefers to do without them. Here is an example of this preference, used especially (but not exclusively) with kinship terms: If you want to make up a sentence about "to have (a certain relation)". take the 3rd person singular form of the possessed kinship term and conjugate it as a verbal root. To illustrate, INe'll conjugate "to have a father", First we must find the 3rd person possessed:

1 nin'na 2 kin'na 3 un'ni (So /3 is the form we find.)

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s

I st person nitUN'NI nitUN'Nlhpinan UN'Nlop

2nd person kitCN'NI kitUN'Nlhpuwaw 3rd person( to 4th) lJN'NI w CN'Nliaw 4th person(to 5th) (IN'NIfnai

may have noticed that it is from this source that we get the term for "agency", which really means we have our father". Ironically. the Indian agent is called "our father": nin'nan or kln'nun. Now you should be able to go through this with some other word. Let's try notas(i). Then see if you can do the same with nixlsta, nohkowa, niskan(i), nokowa, nizfnihkasim, nizfnaim (my chief), ninapim (myoid man- though the 3rd person is unapim) and nitapim (mv animal. pet). There are precautions to observe. Notice the difference between the "I am a ... " and "I have A ...". "1 have a son" must be notohk6i, based on the stem OHKOI or OHKOYL whereas the ordinary stem of this word is OHKO. In OK05 (child) the initial 0- tends to combine with the verbal prefix au- to give AUK05lw (she has a child, she is pregnant). To make it clear that the child has already been born, simply use the past "tense": akaukosiw, To make it clear that the child is still unborn, use the future: akosiw. OKO (lodge) is easily confused with OK05. and in fact in OKO too the initial 0- tends to become AU-. Thus "his lodge" is ok6ai C3rd to 4th person), whereas "he has a lodge" is aukoyiw. The common expression for asking where a person lives means "where do you have your lodge, home?": zirmi kizftOKOYlhpa? Notice these other examples: niz-ik-ak-otas = I have very many horses: kitakohkimi you have lots of wives; nitakokosihpinan =we have lots of children; omahkOPhv = he has big arrows.

Exercises:

Review INAN and MINANI: kizinan: kizinanisz: kizinannun: kizinanunnisz: kizinanowaw; ozinanowawaisz: inaniwaz?

Conjugate OKOSI in the present. past and future aspects. Make up sentences using "myoId man" and "myoid woman",

List all the vocative forrns \ve know.

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A Blackfoot Language Study Piegan Institute, Browning MT, 1996.

LESSON 24 (NAZIPO NISIKOPUTO)

Vocabulary:

auAKIMA = to hunt, chase Asina =Cree, Assiniboine nitap- =real aiIKIAKI =to trap nizapikoan Frenchman mokakiap- wise NITUMAZINAm (an.), suyapikoan Englishman, xistap- =false, useless NITUMAZINAZlw (in.) = British person nam-, nam': just, only

to match, go well mokakiapi = a wise man, person MOKAKI =to be wise xistapiapikoan German, Dutchman MOKAKIAPSlw is wise(an.) apat6hsapikoan =Canadian (white) ::VIOKAKIANI =to warm (cf. Lesson 22)

Noun Incorporation:

This is an ancient manner of talking which has survived in certain expressions. often related to hunting and herding and speaking languages. It has an exact equivalent in English terms like "He went deer hunting". Here are some examples:

niz! nokauAKIMA = I chase elk. nitotasIKIAKI = I trap horses, corral horses. awatuyiauAKIMAw = ')

autapiAUYIw = he she is a man-eater, eats people. is a cannibal.

Very much like these are expressions that tell about speaking languages:

nitaiizitapiIPUYI = I speak Indian. nizipik<iniIPUYI = I speak Piegan.

kitaixistapiapiIPUYI = you speak German, Dutch. kitaiapiIPUYI you speak English (white man talk).

nitaizapikoaIPUYI = I speak French.

You will notice that the roots -TAPI and -KOAN may be included as an option for clarity. Also to avoid ambiguity. -APIKOA- may be inserted wherever it applies (NAPIKOAN with both N's dropped). But if simplicity is prefened to clarity, we can cut some of these expressions:

nizlIPUYI = I talk Indian aizlIPUYI w = he talks Indian.

The longer and clearer equivalents would be nizftapiIPUYI and aizltapi-IPUYlw. The root for "Indian" used here is NIZI- with the initial N- lost. Since the same root occurs in the word for "Frenchman", it is to insert -APIKOA- also. It should be noted that there may be pejorative implications in ethnic expressions that shOll minimized in polite conversation.

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....--------------------------------....... A Blackfoot Language Study Piegan Institute, Browning MT, 1996.

Exercises:

Form the feminine counterparts to the ethnic terms of this lesson.

Translate: Kizaiapiaki ki kimatakotaizapikoaipuyihpa. Nitaipuyih-pinan nis6i ipuahsisz: nizitapfpuahsin, napipuahsin, nizapikoaipuahsin ki xistapipikoaipuahsin. Iik6 xistapiapikoaipuahsin. Niziponoki"i(au)-akima (nizinokauakima). Niziponokaumitauakima. Kizinfauakima. Inf-auakimaw. Nitstamikauakima. Kizipftauakima. Kikutaiohzimihpa napipuahsin?

Invent five hunting or herding sentences.

Ask someone how to say ten vocabulary words in Blackfeet. (Za kitakanihpa Sixikaipuahsin?)

Ask someone if he or she speaks each of the languages you can name and require full replies.

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A Blackfoot Language Study Piegan Institute, Browning MT, 1996.

LESSON 25 (NAZIPO NISIZIKOPUTO)

Vocabulary:

-HZAw (an.), -HTOhp (in.) = sop6x(i) (an.) = a dollar sopok- = whole (it) costs amiuz(i) half a dollar sziki other. another.

ANAZZAw (an.), 6mahkanaux(i) = half a dollar next. more ANAZTOhp (in.) =(it) is inakanaux(i) = a quarter of a dollar szikisz = sometimes cheap, costs little. nitanaux (i) =one cent matsziki =

AKA.IHZAw (an.), nisitanaux (i) five cents, a nickel mat-, mazi- = again AKAIHTOhp (in.) = kipanaux (i) =ten cents, a dime also. another. next it is dear, costs a lot. kimazzika (z)? = are next mat6hzi afterwards

za -anisziHZAwaz (an.) nimazzik I m next taka rnazzik? =,vho's next za-aniz6HTOhpaz (in.) = nimiapi = trash, junk

what does (it) cost? APIHTA, (A.PIHTAKI) =to sell, give away 6hPUMA =to buy SOPOKSlw (an.), SOPOPlw (in.) = is whole

Numerals for Price:

As we have noticed, noun incoJ1X)ration is used with numerals expressing age. So also. it is used often with numerals for prices. This time the incoJ1X)rated noun is SOPOX(I), though it is an optional insertion:

animate inanimate (It) costs $1: nits6poxiHZAw nits6poxOHTOhp

costs $2: mitokisopoxiHZA w natokisopox6HTOhp costs $3: ni uoxkaisopoxfHZAw niuoxkaisopox6HTOhp costs $4: is6isopoxfHZAw nis6isopox()HTOhp costs $5: nisit6isopoxfHZAw nisit6isopox6HTOhp costs $6: miisopoxfHZAw naisopxOHTOhp costs $7: ihkizikiHZAw ihkiziky6HTOhp costs $8: anisisopoxfHZAw nanisisopoxOHTOhp costs $9: pihx6isopoxfHZAw pihx6isopoxOHTOhp costs $10: kip6isopoxfHZAw kip6isopoxO HTOhp costs $11: nizik6putoisopoxfHZAw nizik6putoisopox6HTOhp etc. costs $20: nazipoisopoxfHZAw O<lzipoisopoxOHTOhp costs $21: nazipoisopxfHZAw nazipoisopoxO HTOhp

nizik6puzi nizik6putoyi etc.

Exercises:

Make up conversations for buying and selling, using expressions like nitakohpum', nit:iiahsohpum'. kitakapiht8ki. za-anisihzaw kotas? etc. Ask the prices and have someone reply. Have the seller ask "Who's next?" and the hu\er', answer "I'm next." or "Black Eagle, you're next." etc. Buy and sell groceries, a house. livestock. junk.

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A Blackfoot Language Study Piegan Institute, Browning MT, 1996.

LESSON 26 (NAZIPO NAIKOPUTO)

Vocabulary:

IKI to be the matter (wi th), motokan(i) ::: head, hair, scalp iniehkni downhill to want, do, care notokan ::: my head etc. kihzipi- spotted, painted:

AHPIZI (aiAHPIZI) to be sad, ozkina ::: horn (an.) (prefix)

lonesome apozkina ::: cow, bull (domestic) kihzipimi (of animals

AIAKI (anAIAKI) ::: to hit, apozkinasahkumapi cowboy optional form); (suffix)

strike, smash ohkinCi) ::: bone, pI. ohkfisz ikak- ::: low

IKAKShv (an.), IKAKlw (in.) pistahkan tobacco maze- (-izi-) ::: sweet to be low (not tall) aipistahkaip6k6 ::: pepper (to taste)

IKAKIANI to speak low iszixip6k6 ::: salt IN! (MINI) = to die iszip6k6 ::: it tastes bitter (like fire).

akaiINIw ::: is dead. INIKI ::: to kill

POKO ::: to taste (like)

The Erratic Verb IKI:

This may well be the most irregular verb in the language because of its occasional incorporation of the prefix It is also one of the most awkward to translate. When it incorporates AI-, its stem becomes -IKAII- or just -KAII-, but otherwise it is regular. Some examples will demonstrate: nizIKI (1st sing.)n kitaikihpa what are you doing'); kizikihpa::: what's the matter with you'?; kitaxikihpa what are you going to do'?; za kitaikihpuwaw') ::: what are you (pl.) doing'? where are you going') what do you want? (can be used as a greeting); ahsa kiwa(z) ::: what's the matter?; kaifwa(z) what's the matter with him/her?; nimazikihpa::: there's nothing the matter with me. IKI may be used with or without a word for "what" (za, ahsa).

The Handy Verb POKO:

You have already noticed how this verb incorporates a noun or adjectival particle. It often uses IK- (very) in front: ik-ahsiP()KOw it tastes very good; ikfziPOKOw ::: it's very sweet. How To Say "Let's": The imperative forms for "let's do this or that" are made by prefixing AHKUN- to the 1st

person plural inclusive: e.g. ahkunitapoop let's go there; ahkunizfpuyop let's talk Indian.

,;;;;"m;;.~~,~====;.,.~=,,-========,.===~=oo=.;;==~===

Kiaiahpizi. KizikI11pa'? NimAzikihpa. Ikiwaz? Mazikfwaz. Axikiwaz? M<itaxikiwaz. Nitaiiki, kitaiik[hpa'7 'Kafwaz? (aiikfwaz?); aiikfwexaw'? kitaiikihpuwaw. Nimataxikihpinana.

Any of these questions may be used as they are or with either or AHSA: Kin'naz? kixistaz? kisisaz? kisaz? kokosaz? taka otasaz'? Make up ten questions using I KI, past present and future, and then answer them all negatively.

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LESSON 27 (NAZIPO IHKIZIKIKOPUTO)

Vocabulary:

MOHTO: niMOHTO & , spaiyikoan = Spaniard, moht-, -oht-, -iht­nitOHTO(MOHTOw IHTOw) = Mexican, Hispanic by, from, for, with (used

to go along, come from spaiyi- Spanish, in front of verb stems) nimohtOTO =I come by (there), Mexican, Hispanic ahsa moht = why NAMIHZINAKI (aiAMIHZINAKI) = omahxika Russian ozit- = where, when

to braid apatamislinimakoan (as relatives) aiAMIHZINIMA = to braid one's a Chinese ahwap- = handsome own hair, sixapikoan =a Black Ahsi-Stomahkatoixizik6 (in.) =

apazipistani = a braid aiihkinipsi an Arab Merry Christmas! MAIlPI (auAllPI) to bind ipsazis (in,) belt, mauk- why" AHWAPSIw is handsome (an.) m6skizipahpi heart nomohtahsitaki = thank you, saiya goose

you're welcome, I'm pleased about it. pusaipoka-w =kitten

Relative Clauses:

To change a finite verb into the verb ofa relative clause (and in many ca<;es into the relative clause jtself), suffix -PI or -HPI to the verb. Sometimes plural verb endings are attached after the -(H)PL Uhlenbeck recommends the translation "what" for this type of relative clause, but other relatives in English may be used: 'which, thac.

Examples: otanihp kin'na, kipaipuyit! Vv'hat you father says, it quickly I

Relative clauses indicating "where" or "when" are tanned by using the prefix IT- (there, then) and adding the -(H)PI at the end. FrtXIuently IT- is reinforced by OZ- to make the prefix OZIT-. This is often used in place names or the names of time periods like months:

Mahxi-Pitaw ozitamisowhpi, omi nizitoto, =Where Red Eagle crosses (i.e. Red Eagle Pass), there I went (go). saiyaix ozitautohpi =when the arrive (approximately the month of March).

Relative clauses indicating "how" use a similar construction: Begin the clause with (M)ANIST - and conclude it with -(H)PI.

nitlisap' nit6mitam manistauyihpi. I see how my eats_

Often the prefLx MOHT- is used with -(H)PI in this type ofsentence, meaning "on account of what", "why", "along or by which" etc. To a<;k the question 'WhyT, begin with then incorporate (m)oht- in front of the verb stem: Ahsa kitohtapohpa? Another example of the use of MOHT-: nfmoht(aw)auAIAKI miszis =I hit-with a stick, MOHT- with, so the verb becomes "hit-with". And another: Pin-oht-sa-ahsftakit:::: Don't be displeased on that account (a polite expression).

Exercises:

Look how the children play! When it snows, I am happy.

Explain: Nfmisz iht-msiksopu-w. Omahkat6si Apistot6ki ihkanai-iht-aihziw.

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LESSON 28 (NAZIPO NANISIKOPUTO)

Vocabulary:

IKOHPiw is swollen aiISZI (ASZ-) to hurt, ache aiSASKINA = to cough AXI-AKI =to bend APUYINAm (an.), APUYINAZlw (in.) = to be

blond, brown, bay nitohPUI·SKI I paint (my) face. niziSZISOKOAN (i) I have a

stomach ache.

Verbalized Nouns for Body Parts:

-kinaki leg (an.) -kinisz(i) arm, hand -spi head, hair, top okuyi = a hair, fur

okuyihkini =hair -6hziminan(i) = arm(s) -okin(i) chest, breast nohpikin = my tooth mokakini = the back, backbone kizi =finger, toe, claw nokizis my finger; (an.); pi. mokzix mozis = hand, arm;

nozis = my hand, arm mistoan, -istoi- = beard, mustache;

nizistoan = my beard -spml cheek, jaw pikin(i), -ikin(i) tooth, teeth 6koan (in.) (his) stomach, belly;

nokoan =my stomach

apuyi- = blond, brown apuylhkini =blondish pahs-, pax- = naked, bare y6ki- = curly kak-, kax- = just, only

mokoanisz (pl.) many fold (entrails), Belly River

There are many constructions in which nouns representing parts of the body are turned into verbs. They are often descriptive and indicate possession, pain, etc. The verb for "to hurt, pain, ache" (ISZI) must be a variation of the word for "fire, coals". In these constructions the term for the body part is placed at the end of the complex (except for the possible pronominal endings). The examples will make all this clear:

sikapiniw okapiniw = anaukapiniw = kaxistomiw = nitomahxika = nizinok(a) sahxikinakim

nizipahsikinaki = nizinokinisz nitsahxikinisz sikihkfniw & sfkokuyfilkiniw yokihkiniw = pahsokaziiaw =

he/she has black eyes, is black-eyed. he/she has blue eyes, is blue-eyed. he/she has one eye, is half-eyed. he/she has just a body (is nude !). I have big feet. I have long feet. nizfnokinaki I have long legs. he has short legs. (Note that -KINAKI uses the suffix -M for 3rd

person singular.) I have bare legs; my legs are bare. I have long arms; my arms are long. I have short arms; my arms are short. he/she has black hair, is black-haired. he/she has curly hair, is curly-haired. they are barefooted.

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nizfnospi I have long hair. ak6hpfkiniw = he/she has a lot of teeth.

To show pain, insert ISZI (ASZ-):

nitaszapini my eye(s) hurt(s). aszapiniw hislher eye(s) hurt(s). nitaszfka I am lame; my foot hUltS. niziszfkinaki my leg hurts. niziszikinisz = my hand (arm) hurts. nitaszfkini I have a toothache; my tooth aches. niziszisokoan (i) I have a stomach ache. nizfszispi & nitaszispi = I have a headache; my head aches. nitasz6kini = I have pain in my chest.

Many more examples could be listed, but these illustrate the versatility of this type of Algonquian structure. Many personal nicknames are formed in this way: Apuyfhkini (Blondy); Inospi (Long Top: Custer); Ino-fkini (Buck Teeth: Fr. De Smet); Man6kin & manaukin (New Breast: a young wolf). Many animal terms use this base too: ap-spini (Xanada goose); xikihkini, awatuyi, etc.

Free Forms:

It must not be overlooked that besides the combining forms for body parts, there are many or independent forms, e.g. mostumi, moapspi, ozkfna. Such forms are usually listed in the vocabularies with the independent prefix M - or MO- (someone's), which of course can be replaced by the other pronominal prefixes. These free forms are less handy than the combining forms but may seem easier to English speakers. Here are samples: fkohpfaw kokfzis (kokfzix) your fingers are swollen: nozis inofw =my hand is long: ixfsziwa noapspi =my eye hurts a lot. (The word order in these expressions is reversible.)

A Few Extra Pointers:

If you want to stress these expressions, you may - inselt -IK-: e.g. nitfXIiszapini and IXIiziwa noapspi my eye hurts a lot. Contrarily, if you want to minimize these expressions, just insert IKAK-: niziNAXiszapini or noapspi aiszfwa inakohzi =my eye hurts a little bit. If you are talking about quantity, you may use some agglutinative expressions: e.g. nitak6hpikin (i) = I have lots of teeth; nisf-oapspiw he/she has four eyes. However, a method that is probably easier in the long run is to state the number plus the item: e.g. kip6i nohpfkisz =I have ten teeth or ten are my teeth. The word for "only" may also be inserted: name kip6i nohpfkisz. The verb AXI...AKI (to bend) offers a special case. It splits into two parts and the body part that is being bent is inserted between them: nitauAXIkaAKI =I bend my foot or leg; nitauAXIkiniszAKI = I bend my arm.

Exercises:

Describe yourself to the class. Describe a friend (imaginary if you prefer). Ask descriptive questions about a friend or friends. Oma ninaw sahkskiw ki makskiw. Matazfinamaz. Nitsahxikinisz; nitsahxikinaki; nizfnokfnaki; fnokinakim. Oma ninaw Omahxikaapikoanaz? Sa, nizapikoan. Nist6wa, nitomahxikaapikoan. Nohkazi aizfw. Sixi-Pita aiiszis6koaniw ki ik-sahk-xisiw (This last expression implies that he is quick-tempered).

Explain this name, reported to be a Blackfeet name for McDonald Creek -in Glacier Park (a questionable assertion but a wonderful name): Kyaiyo awaw-atuyi-apixi-w.

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LESSON 29 (NAZIPO PIHXIKOPUTO)

Vocabulary:

ISTA W ASI =to grow -okazi =foot (measure) OKOYISKA =to build, make (ih) ziskani sweat-lodge

house(s) pI. ihziskanisz another, ihKISKA to make a sweat-lodge naipiszi = blanket (an.) wool (in.) nitaihZI =I take a sweat bath. auaipiszimiska-w =a blanket-maker, Indian of the Southwest ailZIKIHKA to make moccasins nohkizitapi =foreigner(s)

mazikin (in.) =moccasin, (aiy)imaipizi =monkey nazikin :::: my moccasin; pI. mazikisz

auAIPISZIMISKA to make blankets

aiNAMAHKA =to count coup, take weapons

-WASI, -ASI =to become, turn into, turn out to be

NOHKIZI (aiAKIZI) =to be different; nohkizi­ =different, other, foreign (may drop N-); mat6hkizi (m) =differently

OKOYI (auKOYI) :::: to have a home SAIYAIPIZI to lie, tell lies aiPISZITAKI to weave, bend, suspect

"To l\fake":

The suffix -KA means "to make" and is added to noun stems that are therefore verbalized. It is risky to try doing this on your own and safer to use the prefabricated forms. Sometimes and S- is inserted before the KA-, and sometimes the prefix OH- (IH-). Do not confuse this KA- with the suffix -KA that means "foot, feet". The vocabulary offers several samples of these words.

Transformative:

-WASI (-AS!) is a transformati ve suffix added to verbal and other roots. If the root to which it is added ends in a vowel, it takes the form -WASI. If the root to which it is added ends in a consonant, it takes the form -ASI. Examples: ohkfwasi-w it turns to water; nitaiISTAWASI I am growing; akikoam'isi-w =she turns out to be a girl; nizfnawasi =I become chief; ninawasi-w == he becomes chief. Frequentative: To show that one does something "always" or often, add -AIPIZI and attach the pronominal endings -W. lAW after it. This term is derogatory. E.g. aipuyaipizi-w =is a talking-machine; asainiaipizi-w :::: is a cry-baby.

Exercises:

Nitainahk', ainamahkaw, ainamahkaiaw. Aukoyiiaw; ok6yiskaiaw; nitok6yisk'. Kokona asainiaipiziw. Sayaipiziw.

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