Noun Paradigm Table

A paradigm table is a useful device to make an inventory of the forms a noun can take, using the most common categories we have identified. In the left column of the paradigm table, we will give information about the categories of gender, number, obviation, locative, diminutive and possessive. The notation, 3, is used for animate nouns. The notation, 0, is used for inanimate nouns. The quote ‘ is used for marking obviation. The table below lists the notations used in the following paradigm tables and their meanings.

Notation Meaning
3 animate proximate singular
3p animate proximate plural
3′ animate obviative singular
3’p animate obviative plural
0 inanimate proximate singular
0p inanimate proximate plural
0′ inanimate obviative singular
0’p inanimate obviative plural
LOC locative
DIM diminutive
POSS possessive

Basic paradigm for Animate nouns

ᐄᔨᒃ iiyik (na) frog
3 ᐄᔨᒃ Click here to hear this word iiyik
3p ᐄᔨᑭᒡ Click here to hear this word iiyikich
3′ 3’p ᐄᔨᒃᐦ Click here to hear this word iiyikh
LOC ᐄᔨᑭᐦᒡ Click here to hear this word iiyikihch

Basic paradigm for Inanimate nouns

ᐊᔥᑐᑎᓐ ashtutin (ni) hat
0 ᐊᔥᑐᑎᓐ Click here to hear this word ashtutin
0p 0’p ᐊᔥᑐᑎᓐᐦ Click here to hear this word ashtutinh
0′ ᐊᔥᑐᑎᓂᔨᐤ Click here to hear this word ashtutiniyiu
LOC ᐊᔥᑐᑎᓂᐦᒡ Click here to hear this word ashtutinihch

These paradigm tables show the basic inflection of nouns. Some nouns have special stem shapes, creating changes in the inflectional forms.