Alternative Pronouns

Observation
ᑯᑕᒃ ᓂᑲ ᐋᐸᒋᐦᐋᐤ᙮ Click here to hear this word 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᙮ Click here to hear this word kutak utaapaanaaskw nika aapachihaau. I will use another toboggan.

Alternative pronouns:

Proximate Obviative
singular plural singular plural
Animate Click here to hear this word ᑯᑕᒃ Click here to hear this word ᑯᑕᑲᒡ Click here to hear this word ᑯᑕᒃᐦ Click here to hear this word ᑯᑕᒃᐦ
kutak kutakach kutakh kutakh
Inanimate Click here to hear this word ᑯᑕᒡ / ᑯᑕᒃ Click here to hear this word ᑯᑕᒃᐦ Click here to hear this word ᑯᑕᒋᔫ Click here to hear this word 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᙮ Click here to hear this word kutak awen nika wiichihiikw. Someone else will help me.
ᑯᑕᒡ ᒉᐧᑲᓐ ᓂᑲ ᐋᐸᒋᐦᑖᓐ᙮ Click here to hear this word kutach chekwan nika aapachihtaan. I will use something else.