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 person. 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 paradigms for Animate nouns

ᐊᔨᒃ ayik (na) frog
3 ᐊᔨᒃ Click here to hear this word ayik
3p ᐊᔨᑲᒡ Click here to hear this word ayikach
3′ / 3’p ᐊᔨᒃ Click here to hear this word ayikh
LOC ᐊᔨᑭᐦᒡ Click here to hear this word ayikihch

Basic paradigms for Inanimate nouns

ᐊᔅᑐᑎᓐ astutin (ni) hat
0 ᐊᔅᑐᑎᓐ Click here to hear this word astutin
0p / 0’p ᐊᔅᑐᑎᓐᐦ Click here to hear this word astutinh
0′ ᐊᔅᑐᑎᓂᔫ Click here to hear this word astutiniyuu
LOC ᐊᔅᑐᑎᓂᐦᒡ Click here to hear this word astutinihch

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