Nouns with two elements

SHORT FORMS OF ANIMAL NOUNS acting as finals

Observation

ᐅᓵᐤ + ᔅᒄ			ᐅᓵᐅᔅᒄ
usaau + skw	=		usaauskw
brown + bear			brown bear

The word ᐅᓵᐅᔅᒄ usaauskw brown bear is made from the initial ᐅᓵᐤ usaau- brown and a shorter form of the noun ᒪᔅᒄ maskw bear. A short form like ᔅᒄ -skw cannot be used on its own, but only when attached to something else.

Many animal names occur with both a long form and, when modified, a short form.

Long Form	Short Form	Complex Noun
ᐊᒥᔅᒄ	-ᒥᔅᒄ	ᒋᓵ				ᒥᔅᒄ			ᒋᓵᒥᔅᒄ
amiskw	-miskw	chisaa		+		miskw	=		chisaamiskw
beaver	beaver	old				beaver			adult beaver
ᓂᔅᒃ	-ᔅᒃ	ᓅᔖ				ᔅᒃ			ᓅᔖᔅᒃ
nisk	-(i)sk	nuushaa		+		sk	=		nuushaask
goose	goose	female				goose			female goose
ᒪᔅᒄ	-ᔅᒄ	ᓅᔖ				ᔅᒄ			ᓅᔖᔅᒄ
maskw	-skw	nuushaa		+		skw	=		nuushaaskw
bear	bear	female				bear			female bear
ᐧᐋᐱᔥᑖᓐ	-ᐋᐱᔥᑖᓐ	ᓅᔖ		ᔾ		ᐱᔥᑖᓐ			ᓅᔖᔮᐱᔥᑖᓐ
waapishtaan	-aapishtaan	nuushaa	+	y	+	aapishtaan	=		uushaayaapistaan
marten	marten	female				marten			female marten
ᑳᒄ	-ᐋᒄ	ᓅᔖ		ᔾ		ᐋᒄ			ᓅᔖᔮᒄ
kaakw	-aakw	nuushaa	+	y	+	aakw	=		nuushaayaakw
porcupine	porcupine	female				porcupine			female porcupine
ᐧᐋᐳᔥ	-ᐋᐳᔥ	ᓅᔖ		ᔾ		ᐋᐳᔥ			ᓅᔖᔮᐳᔥ
waapush	-aapush	nuushaa	+	y	+	aapush	=		nuushaayaapush
rabbit	rabbit	female				rabbit			female rabbit
ᔒᔒᑉ	-ᔑᑉ	ᓅᔖ				ᔑᑉ			ᓅᔖᔑᑉ
shiishiip	-ship	nuushaa		+		ship	=		nuushaaship
duck	duck	female				duck			female duck
ᐊᒋᑳᔥ	-ᒋᑳᔥ	ᓅᔖ				ᒋᑳᔥ			ᓅᔖᒋᑳᔥ
achikaash	-chikaash	nuushaa		+		chikaash	=		nuushaachikaash
mink	mink	female				mink			female mink
ᐊᑎᒻ	-ᔥᑎᒻ	ᓅᔖ				ᔥᑎᒻ			ᓅᔖᔥᑎᒻ
atim	-shtim	nuushaa		+		shtim	=		nuushaashtim
dog	dog	female				dog			female dog
ᐊᑎᐦᒄ	-ᑎᐦᒄ	ᓈᐹ				ᑎᐦᒄ			ᓈᐹᑎᐦᒄ
atihkw	-tihkw	naapaa		+		tihkw	=		naapaatihkw
caribou	caribou	male				caribou			male caribou
ᒥᐦᒑᔑᐤ	-ᐃᐦᒑᔑᐤ	ᐧᐋᑉ				ᐃᐦᒑᔑᐤ			ᐧᐋᐱᒑᔑᐤ
mihchaashiu	-ihchaashiu	waap		+		ihchaashiu	=		waapihchaashiu
fox	fox	white				fox			white carfoxibou