When conjugating TI verbs, a special inflection, called a thematic suffixThematic suffixes are special inflections found in the conjugation of transitive verbs, i.e. VTI and VTA. in Algonquian linguistics, is usually added to the base form of the TI stem.
Person and tense endings are added after the thematic suffix. The structure of a TI verb conjugated in the Independent order (where it can take person prefixes) is as follows:
| person prefix | + | TI stem | + | thematic suffix | + | person and tense endings |
Note: Personal prefixes are only used in the Independent for first and second persons.
Example Formations of TI Verbs
| ni + | tshitapat + e + nan | = | nitshitapatenan | we watch something (Independent) |
| tshitapat + am + u + at | = | tshitapatamuat | they watch something (Independent) | |
| tshitapat + am + an | = | tshitapataman | if I watch something (Conjunct) | |
| tshitapat + a + k | = | tshitapatak | if s/he watches something (Conjunct) | |
| tshitapat + a | = | tshitapata! | watch it! (Imperative) |
VTI thematic suffixes in the Independent Order:
| –am– | 3rd person of the Independent |
| 1st and 2nd persons and 4th person (obviative) of the Conjunct | |
| 2nd person plural of the Imperative Indicative Present | |
| 2nd person of the Imperative Indicative Future | |
| –e– | 1st and 2nd persons of the Independent |
| 1st person plural of the Imperative Indicative PresentIn the Eastern dialect, the thematic suffix -am- is used concurrently for this person of the Imperative Indicative Present: [natu:tǝmutaw] ~ [natu:te:taw] let’s listen!. Only the old ending -etau has been kept in Innu spelling. | |
| –a– | 3rd person (proximate, non-obviative) of the Conjunct |
| 2nd person singular of the ImperativeIn the Western dialect, the thematic vowel of this Imperative (2s) is often replaced by a low tone (e.g.: [t∫i:ta:pà:t] look!. Moreover, still in this dialect, after a stem ending in -sh or -shk, it’s rather the vowel e that is pronounced: [a:pa;∫e:] thaw something!, [pu∫tǝ∫ke:] dress something!, | |
| 2nd persons of the Imperative Indirect |
However, the thematic suffixes -e- and -a- are not added to the TI ai-stems or ei-stems, probably due to the historic evolution of the phonetics.HISTORICALLY: -ahamu > -aj; -ehamu > -ej. Also, /aj/ and /ej/ are pronounced [i] in the Western dialects. Therefore, in modern Innu, the VTI thematic vowels disappear After stems ending in the instrumental finals -ai- and -ei-, meaning with a blow, with an object, an instrument, the thematic vowel -e- is only pronounced in Pessamit: [nt∫ǝpje:n]; elsewhere, it is not pronounced: [nt∫ǝpa:jn].after the stem finals ai and ei:
Examples:
| ni + tashkai + |
we split something |
| apu tashkai + |
s/he doesn’t split something |
| tashkai + |
split something |
| tashkai + |
let’s split something |
| tashkai + |
s/he splits something |
The TI thematic suffix -am- becomes -m- after an ai- or ei-stem: tashkaimu s/he splits something, apu tashkaiman I don’t split something.