#Cherokeelanguage #cherokeewordoftheday

Infintive Verb Stem (INF) has many different uses. For most of these functions the Infinitive Verb Stem appears with another verb rather than alone.

One of the most common uses is the Infinitive Complement Function, or simply stated to serve as an object to another verb.

As with the Completive Past Verb Tense, Set A Verbs appear with Set B Pronominal Prefixes.

There is a long and short form of this Infinitive Verb Stem. Short form ends in -di ( – di) while the long is – dii ( – dííʔi). This less common long form is at the end of a sentence.

ᎤᏍᏚᎢᏍᏗ ᎤᏍᏚᎵ ᎧᏁᏌᎢ

usduisdi usduli kanesai

uùsduʔiisdi uùduuli kaneèsáʔi

uù – sduʔiisdi uù – aduuli kaneèsáʔi

3B – open:INF ne 3B – want:PRC box

He / she wants to open the box

3B – Third person Set B Pronoun Prefix

PRC – Present Continuous Verb Stem – Verb Stem implying a state or event is occurring in the present. This Verb Stem does not take a final suffix.

ᏧᏃᎩᏍᏗ ᎤᎸᏉᏗ

tsunogisdi ulvquodi

juuhnoogiìsdi uùlcckw(o)di

di – uu – hnoogiìsdi uu – lvvkwdi

DST2 – 3B – sing:INF 3B – like:PRC

He / she likes to sing.

DST2 – The Secondary form – di of the Distributive Prepronominal Prefix – de (- dee ). It appears on adjectives, most nouns, command uses of the Immediate Verb Stem and Infinitive Verb Stems. It has the variant forms – di (- dii), – ts ( – j), and – ti ( – ti) based on adjacent sounds or prefixes.

3B – Third person Set B Pronoun Prefix

PRC – Present Continuous Verb Stem – Verb Stem implying a state or event is occurring in the present. This Verb Stem does not take a final suffix.

ᎠᏁᎵᏗ ᎤᏓᎨᏒ ᎤᏲᎱᏎᏗᎢ

anelidi udagesv uyohusedii

aànehl(i)di uudagesv uuyoohuúsehdííʔi

a – anehldi uudagesv uu – yoohuúsehdííʔi

3A – try:PRC weight 3B – lose:INF

He / she is trying to lose weight.

3A – Third person Set A Pronominal Prefix

3B – Third person Set B Pronoun Prefix

PRC – Present Continuous Verb Stem – Verb Stem implying a state or event is occurring in the present. This Verb Stem does not take a final suffix.

There is an adjective function of the Infinitive Verb Stem, Adjectival Infinitive. This Verb Stem describes a function, purpose, or quality of a noun. When the Pronominal Prefix is third person, a Set A verb uses a Set A Pronoun Prefix. It can be used to complement a subject in a verbless sentence. It can act as an Attributive Adjective and modify a noun. They can also appear in the long form  – dii (-dííʔi).

ᏥᏳᎪᏗ                          ᏗᏍᏗᏗᏍᏗ                                 ᏧᏯᏖᎾ

tsiyugodi                             disdidisdi                                            tsuyatena

jiiyúúk(o)di                         diisdiidiisdi                                         juuyahtééna

jiiyúúkdi                              di – a – sdiidiisdi                              juuyahtééna

straight                               DST2 – 3A – lay down (long):INF board

You must put the boards down straight.

DST2 – The Secondary form – di of the Distributive Prepronominal Prefix – de (- dee ). It appears on adjectives, most nouns, command uses of the Immediate Verb Stem and Infinitive Verb Stems. It has the variant forms – di (- dii), – ts ( – j), and – ti ( – ti) based on adjacent sounds or prefixes.

3A – Third person Set A Pronominal Prefix

ᎤᏲᏢ                ᏎᎵ                    ᎣᏍᏓ                ᏗᎪᏪᎵ                          ᎠᎪᎵᏰᏗ

uyotlv                   seli                        osda                     digoweli                              agoliyedi

uuyóóhlv             seéli                      óósda                   digoohweèli                       agooliíyéèdi

uu – yóóhlv          seéli                      óósda                   digoohweèli                       a – gooliíyéèdi

3B – poor            Sarah                    good                     book                                    3A – read:INF

Poor Sarah is a good book to read.

3A – Third person Set A Pronominal Prefix

3B – Third person Set B Pronoun Prefix

ᎬᎾ                   ᎨᏯᏔᎯ                         ᏍᏓᏱ                ᎦᏂᏰᏗᎢ

gvna                     geyatahi                             sdayi                     ganiyedii

gvvna                   gééhyatahi                         sdááyi                   ganihy(e)dííʔi

gvvna                   ga – ééhyatahi                   sdááyi                   ga – nihydííʔi

turkey                   3A – wild                            hard                      3A – catch:INF

A wild turkey is hard to catch.

3A – Third person Set A Pronominal Prefix

Another Infinitive Verb Stem function is an Adverbial Infinitive. It goes with the meaning ‘in order to.’                                                         

ᎠᏕᎳ                    ᎠᏩᏓᏠᎯᏍᏗ                                     ᏓᎩᎸᏩᏍᏓᏁ

adela                    awadadlohisdi    ááá                       dagilvwasdane

adeéla                  awadadlohísdi                                  daàgilvvhw(a)sdaane

adeéla                  agi – adadlohísdi                dee – agi – lvvhwsdaane

money                  1B – earn:INF                                   DST – 1B – work:PRC

I’m working in order to earn money.

1B – First Person Set B Pronoun Prefix

DST – Distributive Prepronominal Prefix de – (dee – ) used to indicate nonsingular objects or multiple instances of an action. It has three variant forms based on the adjacent sounds and / or prefixes: d -, di – (di -), and do – (doo – ). There is also a secondary form of Distributive Prepronominal Prefix.

PRC – Present Continuous Verb Stem – a Verb Stem that indicates a state or event is taking place in the present that does not take a final suffix.

When the Infinitive Verb Stem is used to express an obligation or an ability it is accompanied by a Modal Tone (/MOD). A Modal Tone is generally a highfall tone change, but it is a noticeable tone change added to the Infinitive Verb Stem.

Ꮎ            ᎠᏓᏍᏓᏯᏙᏗ                       ᏧᎯᎶᏍᏗ

na           adasdayadodi                    tsuhilosdi

na           adáásdahy(a)dohdi           juuhiiloósdi

na           adáásdahydohdi                ja – uuhiilóósdi

the         pot                                       2B – wash:INF / MOD

You have to wash that pot.

2B – Second Person Set B Pronominal Pronoun

ᎤᎯᎸᏍᏗ                             ᏄᎵᏍᏔᏅ                                           ᏗᏂᏲᏟ                                  ᎤᎾᏦᏙᏗ

uhilvsdi                                nulistanv                                            diniyotli                unatsododi

uuhiilvvsdi                          nuùl(i)stanv                                       diiniiyóóhli                          úúnajododi

uu – hiilvvsdi                       ni – uu – alstan – v                           di – anii – yóóhli úúnajododi         

3B – drive:INF / Mod       NI – 3B – occur:CMP – EXP           DST2 – 3A.NS – child           bus

He / she had to drive the children’s school bus.

3B – Third Person Pronoun Prefix

CMP – Completive Verb Stem – a Verb Stem used to indicate a state or event has been or will be completed. This stem always carries a final suffix.

EXP – Experienced Past Final Suffix -v  on Incompletive and Completive Verb Stems to indicate a state or event that happened or was happening was personally experienced by the speaker, or the speaker had personal knowledge of it. It’s full form is – vi (vvʔi).

DST2 – Secondary form of the Distributive Prepronominal Prefix di -. It appears on adjectives, most nouns, command uses of the Immediate Verb Stem and Infinitive Verb Stems. This prefix has the variant forms: di – (dii -), ts – (j -), and ti – depending on the adjacent sounds and prefixes.

3A.NS – Third Person Pronoun Prefix Nonsingular

ᎦᎵᏦᏕ                    ᎦᎶᏁᏙᏗ                               ᎠᎩᏒᎲᏍᏗ

galitsode              galonedodi                         agisvhvsdi           

gahl(i)joóde         galóónedohdi                     ák(i)svhvsdi

gahljoóde             ga – loonedohdi                 agi – svhvsdi

house                   3A – paint:INF/INS            IB – use up:INF/MOD

I have to use up the house paint.

3A – Third Person Set A Pronominal Prefix

/INS – Instrumental Tone is a change in tone that occurs on Infinitive Verb Stems to indicate its derivation into a Instrumental Noun (a noun used to perform an action). 1B – First Person Set B Pronominal Prefix              

The Infinitive Verb Stem is used to create certain nouns, touched briefly on last week. These nouns most commonly appear with a Third Person Pronominal Prefix. When it undergoes an instrumental tone change it is used as an instrumental noun, used to perform the action.

ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ

gawonihisdi

gawoonííhisdi

ga – wooniihisdi

3A – speak:INF / INS

Language

3A – Third Person Set A Pronominal Prefix

/INS – Instrumental Tone is a change in tone that occurs on Infinitive Verb Stems to indicate its derivation into a Instrumental Noun (a noun used to perform an action).

Infinitive Verb Stems are used to create Place Nouns, indicating where an activity occurs.

ᏧᏂᏒᏍᏗ

tsunisvsdi

juuniisvvsdi

di – uunii – svvsdi

DST2 – 3B.NS – go to bed:INF

Hotel

DST2 – Secondary form of the Distributive Prepronominal Prefix di -. It appears on adjectives, most nouns, command uses of the Immediate Verb Stem and Infinitive Verb Stems. This prefix has the variant forms: di – (dii -), ts – (j -), and ti – depending on the adjacent sounds and prefixes.

3B.NS – Third Person Set B Pronoun Prefix Nonsingular

ᏧᏂᏆᎾᏲᏍᏗᎢ

tsuniquanayosdii

juuniikwanayosdííʔi

di – uunii – kwanayosdííʔi

DST2 – 3B.NS – play cards:INF

casino

DST2 – Secondary form of the Distributive Prepronominal Prefix di -. It appears on adjectives, most nouns, command uses of the Immediate Verb Stem and Infinitive Verb Stems. This prefix has the variant forms: di – (dii -), ts – (j -), and ti – depending on the adjacent sounds and prefixes.

3B.NS – Third Person Set B Pronoun Prefix Nonsingular