Alternative Pronouns

Observation

ᑯᑕᒃ ᓂᑲ ᐋᐸᒋᐦᐋᐤ᙮

kutak nika aapachihaau.

I will use another one.

The word ᑯᑕᒃ kutak in the above example is called an alternative pronoun. Alternative pronouns take inflection and are found alone or with a noun.

ᑯᑕᒃ ᐅᑖᐹᓈᔅᒄ ᓂᑲ ᐋᐸᒋᐦᐋᐤ᙮

kutak utaapaanaaskw nika aapachihaau.

I will use another toboggan.

Alternative pronouns:

	Proximate				Obviative
	singular		plural		singular		plural
Animate		ᑯᑕᒃ		ᑯᑕᑲᒡ		ᑯᑕᒃᐦ		ᑯᑕᒃᐦ
		kutak		kutakach		kutakh		kutakh
Inanimate		ᑯᑕᒡ / ᑯᑕᒃ		ᑯᑕᒃᐦ		ᑯᑕᒋᔫ		ᑯᑕᒃᐦ
		kutach / kutak		kutakh		kutachiyuu		kutakh

Younger speakers are often using a new form, considered incorrect, ᑯᑕᑭᔫ kutakiyuu, instead of ᑯᑕᒋᔫ kutachiyuu.

When used with ᐊᐧᐁᓐ awen or ᒉᐧᑲᓐ chekwan, ᑯᑕᒃ kutak means ‘someone else’ or ‘something else’.

ᑯᑕᒃ ᐊᐧᐁᓐ ᓂᑲ ᐧᐄᒋᐦᐄᒄ᙮		kutak awen nika wiichihiikw.	Someone else will help me.
ᑯᑕᒡ ᒉᐧᑲᓐ ᓂᑲ ᐋᐸᒋᐦᑖᓐ᙮		kutach chekwan nika aapachihtaan.	I will use something else.