If you want to be able to describe something based on a state of being, like “jumpy” for “jumping” or “hungry” for “is hungry”, you can often take the Past Tense form and use the suffix “-Ꭵ⁴Ꭲ”. These new word forms use the “Ꮧ-” prefix rules for making plurals and must be inflected for person. The word order normally reverses as the new word with the “-Ꭵ⁴Ꭲ” suffix is a descriptive word and normally goes in front of what it is describing. Keeping the “⁴” tone is very important.
Grammar Notes
Much the same way “-er” is added at the end of words in English to indicate “one who does”, a Cherokee speaker can do similar word creation by replacing the “-ᎣᎢ” sound at the end of the habitual verb form with an “-Ꭲ” sound. These new words are referred to as the agentive form.
If you want to refer to the act of doing something as a generic concept, like how “speech” is the result of “speaking” and “talk” is the result of “talking”, you take the bound pronoun prefix from the present tense “is doing” form and combine that with the infinitive “to be” form. Use “dị-” on these new words to form plurals. Examples:
If you want to refer to the act of doing something as a generic concept, like how “speech” is the result of “speaking” and “talk” is the result of “talking”, you take the bound pronoun prefix from the present tense “is doing” form and combine that with the infinitive “to be” form. Use “dị-” on these new words to form plurals. Examples:
-
ᎠᏓᎾᏁᏒᎲᏍᎦ
[adananesvhvsga] “He/she is shopping.” The present tense form.-
ᎤᏓᎾᏁᏒᎲᏍᏗ
[udananesvhvsdi] “He/she to shop.” The infinitive “to be” form. -
ᎠᏓᎾᏁᏒᎲᏍᏗ
[adananesvhvsdi] “A shopping trip.” The newly created “result of” form.- ᏗᏓᎾᏁᏒᎲᏍᏗ
[didananesvhvsdi] “Shopping trips.” di- + -adananesvhvsdi.
- ᏗᏓᎾᏁᏒᎲᏍᏗ
-
-
ᎠᎪᏩᏘᎭ
[agowhtiha] “He/she sees him/her/it.” The present tense form.-
ᎤᎪᏩᏛᏗ
[ugowhtvhdi] “Him to see him/her/it.” The infinitive “to be” form. -
ᎠᎪᏩᏛᏗ
[agowhtvhdi] “Sight.” The newly created “result of” form.- ᏗᎪᏩᏛᏗ
[digowhtvhdi] “Sights.” di- + -agowhtvhdi.
- ᏗᎪᏩᏛᏗ
-
-
ᎦᏬᏂᎭ
[gawoniha] “He/she is speaking.” The present tense form.-
ᎤᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ
[uwonihisdi] “Him to speak.” The infinitive “to be” form. -
ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ
[gawonihisdi] “Speech. Language.” The newly created “result of” form.- ᏗᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ
[digawonihisdi] “Speeches. Languages.” di- + -gawonihisdi.
- ᏗᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ
-
-
ᎤᏚᎵᎭ
[uduliha] “He/she wants him/her/it.” The present tense form.-
ᎤᏚᎸᏗ
[uduhldi] “Him to want him/her/it.” The infinitive “to be” form. -
ᎤᏚᎸᏗ
[uduhldi] “A wanting. A need. A desire.” The newly created “result of” form.- ᏧᏚᎸᏗ
[juduhldi] “Wantings. Needs. Desires.” di- + -uduhldi.
- ᏧᏚᎸᏗ
-
On many of these result forms, many speakers will add a high tone on the right most long vowel to indicate this is a created word. Adding this pitch is not required to be understood correctly in most cases and when to do so is best learned by listening to long time speakers.
As in English, there are some forms which will not make sense when creating new words.
Go around doing… (Ambulative)
To indicate repeated movement as part of the action. (Moving from place to place.)
Attaches to past tense stem.
To indicate that someone went departing from the point of view in order to do something.
This ending can also be used to indicate doing it at intervals
These endings are only used for “going” to indicate change of location. Do not use these suffixes for the English idiom “going to” which means “will be”.