• The following is from the "Brief Specimens of Cherokee Grammatical Forms" as printed in the "The Cherokee Messenger (ᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏥᏅᏏᏛ)" in the years 1844 to 1846.
Pronouns
The Cherokee language has but two separable personal pronouns, viz.: First person singular and plural, A-yv (ᎠᏴ), "I and we." Second person singular and plural, ni-hi (ᏂᎯ), "thou and you." The third person is indicated by na (Ꮎ) or na-ski (ᎾᏍᎩ), "that," or hi-ya (ᎯᏯ) or hi-a (ᎯᎠ) "this," or by a verb expressing some attribute or condition of the person spoken of, as:—
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ᏥᎦᏙᎦ,
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tsi-ga-do-ga,
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the one who is standing,
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ᏤᏙᎠ,
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tse-do-a,
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the one who is moving about,
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ᏧᏬᎳ,
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tsu-wo-hla,
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the one who is sitting down,
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ᏥᎦᏅᎦ,
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tsi-ga-nv-ga,
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the one who is lying down,
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ᏨᏓᏯᎢ,
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tsv-da-ya-i,
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the one who is coming,
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ᏥᏩᎢ,
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tsi-wa-i,
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the one who is going,
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ᏥᏲᎱᏒ,
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tsi-yo-hu-sv,
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the one who is dead,
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ᏤᎭ,
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tse-ha,
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the one who is living,
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ᏧᏢᎦ,
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tsu-tlv-ga,
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the one who is sick,
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The Cherokee language has a form of personal pronouns, which may be termed reflexive; in which all the distinctions of person are indicated. This form has the sense of myself, thyself, &c., as the following will exhibit.
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Singular.
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1st person
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ᎠᎬᏒ
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a-gwv-sv
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myself,
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2nd person
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ᏨᏒ
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tsv-sv
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thyself,
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3rd person
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ᎤᏩᏒ
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u-wa-sv
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himself,
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Dual.
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1st and 2nd person
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ᎩᏅᏒ
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gi-nv-sv
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ourselves, (thyself and myself)
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1st and 3rd person
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ᎣᎩᏅᏒ
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o-gi-nv-sv
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ourselves, (himself and myself)
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2nd person
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ᏍᏛᏒ
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sdv-sv
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yourselves, (two)
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Plural.
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1st and 2nd person
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ᎢᎬᏒ
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i-gv-sv
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ourselves, (yourselves and myself)
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1st and 3rd person
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ᎣᎬᏒ
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o-gv-sv
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ourselves, (themselves and myself)
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2nd person
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ᎢᏨᏒ
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i-tsv-sv
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yourselves, (three or more)
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3rd person
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ᎤᏅᏒ
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u-nv-sv
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themselves
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The following table exhibits the possessive pronouns; the object possessed being singular.
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Singular.
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1st person
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ᎠᏆᏤᎵ
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a-kwa-tse-li
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mine,
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2nd person
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ᏣᏤᎵ
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tsa-tse-li
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thine,
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3rd person
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ᎤᏤᎵ
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u-tse-li
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his,
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Dual.
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1st and 2nd person
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ᎩᎾᏤᎵ
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gi-na-tse-li
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ours, (mine and thine)
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1st and 3rd person
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ᎣᎩᎾᏤᎵ
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o-gi-na-tse-li
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ours, (his and mine)
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2nd person
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ᏍᏓᏤᎵ
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sda-tse-li
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yours, (two)
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Plural.
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1st and 2nd person
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ᎢᎦᏤᎵ
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i-ga-tse-li
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ours, (yours and mine)
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1st and 3rd person
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ᎣᎦᏤᎵ
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o-ga-tse-li
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ours, (theirs and mine)
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2nd person
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ᎢᏣᏤᎵ
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i-tsa-tse-li
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yours, (three or more)
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3rd person
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ᎤᎾᏤᎵ
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u-na-tse-li
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theirs.
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Two degrees of intensity are denoted by adding ga (Ꭶ) and gaya (ᎦᏯ), as akwatseliga (ᎠᏆᏤᎵᎦ), "mine" (positively); akwatseligaya (ᎠᏆᏤᎵᎦᏯ), "mine" (really): i.e. "I alone am the real owner."
When the possession of more than one object is to be denoted, the prefixes are varied thus:—
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Singular.
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1st person
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ᏗᏆ
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di-gwa
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ᏗᏆᏤᎵ
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di-gwa-tse-li
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mine,
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2nd person
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ᏗᏣ
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di-tsa
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ᏗᏣᏤᎵ
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di-tsa-tse-li
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thine,
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3rd person
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Ꮷ
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tsu
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ᏧᏤᎵ
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tsu-tse-li
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his,
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Dual.
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1st and 2nd
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ᏗᎩᎾ
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di-gi-na
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ᏗᎩᎾᏤᎵ
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di-gi-na-tse-li
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ours, (mine and thine)
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1st and 3rd
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ᏦᎩᎾ
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tso-gi-na
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ᏦᎩᎾᏤᎵ
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tso-gi-na-tse-li
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ours, (his and mine)
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2nd person
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ᏗᏍᏓ
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di-sda
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ᏗᏍᏓᏤᎵ
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di-sda-tse-li
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yours, (two)
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Plural.
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1st and 2nd
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ᏗᎦ
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di-ga
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ᏗᎦᏤᎵ
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di-ga-tse-li
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ours, (yours and mine)
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1st and 3rd
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ᏦᎦ
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tso-ga
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ᏦᎦᏤᎵ
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tso-ga-tse-li
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ours, (theirs and mine)
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2nd person
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ᏗᏣ
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di-tsa
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ᏗᏣᏤᎵ
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di-tsa-tse-li
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yours, (three or more)
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3rd person
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ᏧᎾ
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tsu-na
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ᏧᎾᏤᎵ
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tsu-na-tse-li
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theirs.
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In the congugation of verbs the person is indicated by inseparable prefixes, as:—
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Singular.
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1st person
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Ꮵ
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tsi
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ᏥᏁᎦ
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tsi-ne-ga
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I speak,
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2nd person
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Ꭿ
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hi
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ᎯᏁᎦ
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hi-ne-ga
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thou speakest,
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3rd person
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Ꭷ
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ka
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ᎧᏁᎦ
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ka-ne-ga
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he speaks,
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Dual.
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1st and 2nd
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ᎢᏂ
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i-ni
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ᎢᏂᏁᎦ
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i-ni-ne-ga
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we (thou and I) speak,
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1st and 3rd
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ᎣᏍᏗ
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o-sdi
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ᎣᏍᏗᏁᎦ
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o-sdi-ne-ga
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we (he and I) speak,
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2nd person
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ᏍᏗ
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sdi
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ᏍᏗᏁᎦ
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sdi-ne-ga
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you (two) speak,
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Plural.
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1st and 2nd
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ᎢᏗ
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i-di
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ᎢᏗᏁᎦ
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i-di-ne-ga
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we (you and I) speak,
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1st and 3rd
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ᎣᏥ
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o-tsi
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ᎣᏥᏁᎦ
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o-tsi-ne-ga
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we (they and I) speak,
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2nd person
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ᎢᏥ
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i-tsi
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ᎢᏥᏁᎦ
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i-tsi-ne-ga
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you (three or more) speak,
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3rd person
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ᎠᏂ
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a-ni
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ᎠᏂᏁᎦ
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a-ni-ne-ga
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they speak.
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In some tenses the personal prefixes take the following form, as:—
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Singular.
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1st person
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Ꮵ
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tsi
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ᏥᏁᎦ
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tsi-ne-ga
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I speak,
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2nd person
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Ꭿ
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hi
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ᎯᏁᎦ
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hi-ne-ga
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thou speakest,
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3rd person
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Ꭷ
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ka
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ᎧᏁᎦ
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ka-ne-ga
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he speaks,
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Dual.
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1st and 2nd
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ᎢᏂ
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i-ni
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ᎢᏂᏁᎦ
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i-ni-ne-ga
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we (thou and I) speak,
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1st and 3rd
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ᎣᏍᏗ
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o-sdi
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ᎣᏍᏗᏁᎦ
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o-sdi-ne-ga
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we (he and I) speak,
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2nd person
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ᏍᏗ
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sdi
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ᏍᏗᏁᎦ
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sdi-ne-ga
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you (two) speak,
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Plural.
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1st and 2nd
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ᎢᏗ
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i-di
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ᎢᏗᏁᎦ
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i-di-ne-ga
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we (you and I) speak,
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1st and 3rd
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ᎣᏥ
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o-tsi
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ᎣᏥᏁᎦ
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o-tsi-ne-ga
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we (they and I) speak,
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2nd person
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ᎢᏥ
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i-tsi
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ᎢᏥᏁᎦ
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i-tsi-ne-ga
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you (three or more) speak,
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3rd person
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ᎠᏂ
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a-ni
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ᎠᏂᏁᎦ
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a-ni-ne-ga
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they speak.
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In some tenses the personal prefixes take the following, as:—
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Singular.
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1st person
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ᎠᎩ
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a-gi
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ᎠᎩᏁᏨ
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a-gi-ne-tsv
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I have spoken,
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2nd person
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Ꮳ
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tsa
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ᏣᏁᏨ
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tsa-ne-tsv
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thou hast spoken,
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3rd person
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Ꭴ
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u
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ᎤᏁᏨ
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u-ne-tsv
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he hast spoken,
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Dual.
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1st and 2nd
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ᎩᏂ
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gi-ni
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ᎩᏂᏁᏨ
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gi-ni-ne-tsv
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we (thou and I) have spoken,
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1st and 3rd
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ᎣᎩᏂ
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o-gi-ni
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ᎣᎩᏂᏁᏨ
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o-gi-ni-ne-tsv
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we (he and I) have spoken,
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2nd person
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ᏍᏗ
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sdi
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ᏍᏗᏁᏨ
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sdi-ne-tsv
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you (two) have spoken,
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Plural.
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1st and 2nd
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ᎢᎩ
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i-gi
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ᎢᎩᏁᏨ
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i-gi-ne-tsv
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we (you and I) have spoken,
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1st and 3rd
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ᎣᎩ
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o-gi
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ᎣᎩᏁᏨ
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o-gi-ne-tsv
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we (they and I) have spoken,
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2nd person
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ᎢᏥ
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i-tsi
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ᎢᏥᏁᏨ
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i-tsi-ne-tsv
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you (three or more) have spoken,
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3rd person
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ᎤᏂ
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u-ni
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ᎤᏂᏁᏨ
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u-ni-ne-tsv
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they have spoken.
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