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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 iiyik
3p ᐄᔨᑭᒡ iiyikich
3′ 3’p ᐄᔨᒃᐦ iiyikh
LOC ᐄᔨᑭᐦᒡ iiyikihch

Basic paradigm for Inanimate nouns

ᐊᔥᑐᑎᓐ ashtutin (ni) hat
0 ᐊᔥᑐᑎᓐ ashtutin
0p 0’p ᐊᔥᑐᑎᓐᐦ ashtutinh
0′ ᐊᔥᑐᑎᓂᔨᐤ ashtutiniyiu
LOC ᐊᔥᑐᑎᓂᐦᒡ ashtutinihch

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