Syntax Woods Cree

1 syntax

1.1 grammar

1.1.1 obviation

1.1.1.1 negation

1.1.1.1.1 questions
1.1.1.1.2 pronouns

syntax
grammar

cree highly inflected language , of syntactic expression happens within noun or verb itself. due complex morphological characteristics of cree language, syntactic word order relatively free in comparison many other languages. free expression of discontinuous constituents found in cree, referred non-configurational. example, sentence children killed ducks expressed in following 6 ways:

svo awa•sisak nipahe•wak si•si•pa ( children killed ducks )

sov awa•sisak si•si•pa nipahe•wak ( children ducks killed )

vso nipahe•wak awa•sisak si•si•pa ( killed children ducks )

vos nipahe•wak si•si•pa awa•sisak ( killed ducks children )

ovs si•si•pa nipahe•wak awa•sisak ( ducks killed children )

osv si•si•pa awa•sisak nipahe•wak ( ducks children killed )

moreover, due extensive morphology, subject , object noun phrases can left out completely:

nipahe•wak ( killed them - omitting subject children , object ducks completely)

obviation

cree uses 3 levels of person categories: first person (the speaker), second person (the addressee), , third (neither speaker nor addressee). however, characterizing aspect of cree grammar, third person divided third person , third person obviative, used when referring person not in direct relation context, called fourth person . these nouns understood being in background of conversation whereas proximate nouns in conversation nouns in question. obviative nouns marked suffix -a.

negation

there 2 negative markers in cree: namo•ya or nama , e•ka• or e•ka•ya. these different negative markers found in general coincide main , subordinate clauses, namo•ya used in main clauses , e•ka• used in subordinate clauses. e•ka•ya marker found connected imperative sentences.

questions

when asking yes-no question in cree, question marker ci• found @ end of first word of clause.

for example:

kikisiwahitin ci•? ( have made angry?)

indirect yes-no questions use specific conditional marker equivalent english word if . in plains cree dialect (lack of woods cree documentation) conditional marker ki•spin.

when asking content question in cree, interrogative pronoun found @ start of sentence.

for example:

ta•nite• e•-wi•-itohte•yan? ( going to?)

indirect content questions use same interrogative pronouns.

pronouns

the 2 syntactical pronoun forms interrogative pronouns , demonstrative pronouns.

interrogative pronouns used in cree ask direct questions. commonly used following: = awína, = kikway, when = tánispihk, = tániti, , why = táníhki. however, these words change form when describing singular versus plural nouns. example: singular = awína , kikway versus plural = awíniki , kikwaya. animacy of noun affects interrogative pronoun creating 4 different words used when asking question:

demonstrative pronouns have 2 separate forms depending on whether noun animate or inanimate is:

in cree, possible put 2 demonstrative pronouns specific location of object. third form of demonstrative used describe (in)animate subject/object far in distance: níhí (singular animate) níki (plural animate) , níma (singular inanimate) níhi (plural inanimate).