Grammar Lesson: Applicative Suffix

Applicative Suffix:
A suffix attached to a verb that creates the meaning that the action of the verb is being done BY a person(s) TO or FOR another person(s). It makes persons as both the verb subject and object.

Example Verb: Winking Applicative

Suffix attached to verbs that creates the
presence of a person-object affected by the verb. Two meanings can be derived from this process depending on the verb type to which it is applied. On intransitive verbs, it makes the verb transitive with the object being a person. On transitive verbs, it makes the verb ditransitive with the new person-object serving as the primary direct object.

/haktasdiha/ Youre winking

PRESENT IMMEDIATE

-eha -si / -eli

/higatastaneha/ Youre winking at her /higatastasi/ Wink at her! /higatastaneli/ You (just) winked at her

INCOMPLETIVE COMPLETIVE INFINITIVE

-eh-el-ehd-

/higatastanehoi/ You wink at her /higatastanelvi/ You winked at her /higatastanehdi jaduli/ You want to wink at her On the IMMEDIATE aspect stem, /-si/ is used on Command Forms while /-eli/ is used on Immediate Past Forms.

When used, the applicative requires the use of the Person Pronominal Prefix set.
The applicative uses the Completive Aspect Verb Stem for all of its forms, but the applicative itself varies dependent upon which aspect it is attached to. On the examples shown to the right, the intransitive verb wink is made transitive by the addition of the applicative.

Verb Examples: Applicative

Sound Rules apply when the suffix is
used on certain forms. When the applicative comes after the consonant /j/, it changes /j/ to /ch/. This pattern is seen in the verb examples to the right on the forms /dagiluhcheli/ and /dagintlecheli/. The distinction on the IMMEDIATE aspect stem that determines whether the form will be /-si/ or /-eli/ is based upon whether the form is a COMMAND or a PAST TENSE. Command Tenses will use /-si/ while the Past uses /-eli/. On the example verb /akiwaselvi/, the verb is a transitive verb that becomes ditransitive with the applicative. Some verbs use the applicative as a base part of the verb and have become established forms such as give.

/Sgwakdastaneha/ Youre winking at me /Daigiluhcheli/ He came up to us (dagiluhcheli) /Dagintlecheli/ Hell take revenge on us

/Akiwaselvi/ He bought it for me

/Nuna disginegvlvsi/ Peel the potatoes for me! /Widajinoseli/ Im going to tell him /Deskiyvstanelvi/ Pick it up for me (later)! /Jaji wichayania/ Your mother is calling you /Gago dejahnogisehoi?/ Who sings to you? /Sgwatlesdi wigajidinelvi/ I threm them the ball /Kilagwu agihvsi/ She (just) gave it to me /Gvyalielichisi/ Im grateful to you /Jiloselvi/ I passed him

Aspect and Tense

ASPECT STEM
All forms that use the Applicative Suffix are based off of the COMPLETIVE ASPECT STEM. This is important to note because the five Aspect Stems that verbs have are often different from one another. By using the Applicative, though, all verbs will only use the Completive Aspect Stem. While the aspect stem remains the same, the exact form for the Applicative varies based on the specific TENSE of the verb being used. VERB TENSE Tenses in Cherokee are built off of the various aspect stems Specific tenses are associated with specific Aspect Stems. The Five Aspect Stems and their associated tenses are given in the box to the right. On the next page is an example of this relationship between aspect and tense.

Applicative

PRESENT ASPECT STEM

Present Tense

IMMEDIATE ASPECT STEM

Immediate Command Tense Immediate Past Tense

INCOMPLETIVE ASPECT STEM

Habitual Tense Progressive Past Tense Progressive Future Tense

COMPLETIVE ASPECT STEM

Completive Past Tense Completive Future Command Tense Completive Future Tense

INFINITIVE ASPECT STEM

Infinitive Tense Obligatory Infinitive Tense

Aspect and Tense : Verb Example Open (Applicative Not Used)

PRESENT ASPECT STEM
Present Tense

-sduia-sdui-ha He is opening it Let him open it! He just opened it He opens it He was opening it He will be opening it He opened it He will open it He will open it

IMMEDIATE ASPECT STEM

Immediate Command Tense Immediate Past Tense

-sdui
w-a-sdui a-sdui

INCOMPLETIVE ASPECT STEM

Habitual Tense Progressive Past Tense Progressive Future Tense

-sduiha-sduih-oi a-sduih-vi a-sduih-esdi

COMPLETIVE ASPECT STEM

Completive Past Tense Completive Future Command Tense Completive Future Tense

-sduisu-sduis-vi a-sduis-vi d-v-sduis-i

INFINITIVE ASPECT STEM

Infinitive Tense Obligatory Infinitive Tense

-sduisdi
u-sduisdi uduli He wants to open it u-sduisdi He has to open it

Applicative: Open for Him

PRESENT ASPECT STEM /-eha/
Present Tense /-eha/

/-sduis-/ Completive Aspect Stem

-sduisa-sduis-eha He is opening it for him

IMMEDIATE ASPECT STEM

Immediate Command Tense /-si/ Immediate Past Tense /-eli/

-sduishi-sdui(s)-si gv-sduis-eli Open it for him! I just opened it for you

INCOMPLETIVE ASPECT STEM /-eh-/

Habitual Tense Progressive Past Tense Progressive Future Tense /-ehoi/ /-ehvi/ /-ehesdi/

-sduisji-sduis-ehoi ji-sduis-ehvi ji-sduis-ehesdi I open it for him I was opening it for him Ill be opening it for him

COMPLETIVE ASPECT STEM /-el-/

Past Tense Future Command Tense Future Tense /-elvi/ /-elvi/ /-eli/

-sduisak-sduis-elvi gv-sduis-elvi da-ga-ji-sduis-eli He opened it for me I will open it for you I will open it for them

INFINITIVE ASPECT STEM /-ehd-/

Infinitive Tense /-ehdi/ Obligatory Infinitive Tense /-ehdi/

-sduisak-sduis-ehdi uduli He wants to open it for me ji-sduis-ehdi You have to open it for him

Applicative
PRESENT TENSE /-eha/

Open for Him

/-sduis-/ Completive Aspect Stem

/Sdudi gvsduiseha/ I am opening the door for you /hi-sduis-eha/ You are opening it for him /eni-sduis-eha/ You & I are opening it for him

Person Pronominal /gv-/ on aspect stem /-sduis-/ with present tense applicative suffix /-eha/. /ji-sduis-eha/ I am opening it for him /sdv-sduis-eha/ I am opening it for you two IMMEDIATE COMMAND TENSE /-si/ /esdi-sdui(s)-si/ You two open it for her IMMEDIATE PAST TENSE /-eli/ /eji-sduis-eli/ You all opened it for her INCOMPLETIVE TENSE FORMS /-eh-/ /ak-sduis-eh-oi/ He opens it for me /ak-sduis-eh-vi/ He was opening it for me Habitual Tense /-eh-oi/

/Sdudi hisduisi/ Open the door for her! /sgi-sdui(s)-si/ Open it for me /Sdudis hisduiseli?/ Did you open the door for her? /ijv-sduis-eli/ I opened it for you all /Sdudi gvsduisehoi/ I open the door for you /geji-sduis-eh-oi/ They open it for you /gv-sduis-eh-vi/ I was opening it for you Progressive Future Tense /-eh-esdi/

Pronominal /hi-/ on /-sduis-/ with immediate command tense applicative suffix /-si/.

Pronominal /hi-/ on /-sduis-/ with immediate past tense applicative suffix /-eli/.

/gv-/ on /-sduis-/ with incompletive applicative suffix /-eh-/ and habitual tense suffix /-oi/.

/ji-sduis-eh-esdi/ I will be opening it for her /ak-sduis-eh-esdi/ He will be opening it for me Progressive Past Tense /-eh-vi/

Applicative

Open for Him

/-sduis-/ Completive Aspect Stem

COMPLETIVE TENSE FORMS /-el-/

Completive Past Tense /-el-vi/ /Svhi jigesvi gvsduiselvi/ I opened it for you yesterday /sdv-sduis-el-vi/ I opened it for you two /Kohiiyv hisduiselvi/ Open it for her later /gvgi-sduis-el-vi/ They opened it for me Completive Future Command Tense /-el-vi/

/Kousv esdi-sduis-el-vi/ You two open it for him tonight /Sinaleyv gehesdi eji-sduis-el-vi/ You all open it for her tomorow Completive Future Tense /-el-i/ /Ijiluhjvi dagvsduiseli/ I will open it for you when I return /Digalvhiwsdanhdis ti-sduis-eli?/ Will you open the office for him later?

/Digalvhwisdandi day-osdi-sduis-el-i/ You & I will open the office for him
INFINITIVE TENSE /-ehd-/ /Sdudi usduisehdi agwaduli/ I want him to open the door for her

Pronominal /u-/ on aspect stem /-sduis-/ with infinitive tense applicative suffix /-ehd-i/. /Nogwu ga-hi-sduis-ehd-i unaduli/ They want you to open it for them now /Nogwu ga-hi-sduis-ehd-i/ You have to open it for them now /Tla si sdv-sduis-ehd-i yigi/ I dont have to open it for you two yet /Ts-sduis-ehd-i-s jaduli?/ Do you want him to open it for you?

Applicative
PRESENT TENSE /-eha/ Gv-wonis-eha I am speaking for you De-gv-goliye-eha I am reading to you De-gvy-ohwelan-eha I am writing to you IMMEDIATE COMMAND TENSE Hi-woni(s)-si Speak for her! Ti-goliye-si! Read to her! Tiy-ohwela-si! Write to her! IMMEDIATE PAST TENSE /-eli/ /-si/

INCOMPLETIVE TENSES HABITUAL TENSE /-eh-oi/

/-eh-/

Gv-wonis-ehoi I often speak for you De-gv-goliye-ehoi I often read to you PROGRESSIVE PAST TENSE /-eh-vi/ Gv-wonis-ehvi I was speaking for you De-gvy-ohwelan-ehvi I was writing to you PROGRESSIVE FUTURE TENSE /-eh-esdi/ Gv-wonis-ehesdi I will be speaking for you De-gv-goliye-ehesdi I will be reading to you COMPLETIVE TENSES /-el-/ COMPLETIVE PAST TENSE /-el-vi/ Gv-wonis-elvi I spoke for you De-gvy-ohwelan-elvi I wrote to you COMPLETIVE FUTURE COMMAND TENSE /-el-vi/ Hi-wonis-elvi Speak for him (later)! De-hi-goliye-elvi Read to him (later)! COMPLETIVE FUTURE TENSE /-el-i/ Da-gv-wonis-eli I will speak for you Do-da-gv-goliye-eli I will read to you

Gv-wonis-eli I just spoke for you De-gv-goliye-eli I just read to you De-gvy-ohwelan-eli I just wrote to you INFINITIVE TENSE /-ehd-/

Gv-wonis-ehdi agwaduli I want to speak for you

Ti-goliye-ehdi You should read this to her

Di-gv-goliye-ehdi I have to read to you Di-gvy-ohwelan-ehdi I have to write to you

Verb Examples: Applicative: Malefactive

Malefactive meaning can be applied
using the Applicative when it is used on specific verbs. The term malefactive refers to actions or events that are seen as bad and in Cherokee are viewed as often happening to someone. The specific rules governing the pattern for establishing a Malefactive meaning is determined by two variables. The first variable is the verb used It must be a verb that either carries a negative connotation to it or that could convey a negative meaning. The second variable relates to the transitivity of the verb. Intransitive verbs need only add the Applicative Suffix. Transitive verbs, however, may require the Applicative as well as the use of the Passive Prefix Set.

/Oginiyochelvi/ It broke down on us Takes the verb It is breaking /ayoga/ in the Completive Stem /uyojvi/ It broke and adds the Applicative /-el-/ along with the Person Prefix /ogini-/ It to You & I. /Ajisganvchisi/ She fouled her Form literally means She committed a sin against her. Uses the Passive Person Prefix /aji-/ which normally transforms a verb to a passive statement, but in this context it establishes an emphasis on the person being fouled while still retaining its transitive meaning of she fouled her. /Gado ulstanelei?/ Whats wrong with her? Takes the verb /nigalstanvsga/ It is happening and with the applicative creates both a personobject and malefactive meaning. Literally, the question /Gado ulstanelei?/ means What happened to her?

Summary: Applicative
Applicative Suffix has, as its basic
function, the ability to take an action and specifically denote that action as being done by a person or persons TO or FOR another person or persons. The Applicative will be required in forms where the verb does not use the Person Pronominal Prefixes and the intended meaning involves a person as BOTH sentence subject and object. Since this makes the idea involve people as both its subject and object, it requires the use of the Person Pronominal Prefixes. The basic review of this process is given here.

Review of the Applicative Suffix

Identify verb as TRANSITIVE or INTRANSITIVE. This determines the exact meaning it has on the verb. Transitive Verbs add person to person reference along with its normal object meaning. On Intransitive Verbs, only the person to person reference is added. Identify the COMPLETIVE ASPECT STEM for the verb. The Completive Aspect Stem forms the base for all constructions of the Applicative. Determine the specific VERB TENSE for the verb. The tense used determines the exact form the verb will have. This specifically identifies the exact form the Applicative takes on the verb. As well, the verb follows normal aspect-tense patterns like any other verb in that specific tense. Identify the specific PERSON PRONOMINAL PREFIX to be used on the verb. Since the basic function of the Applicative is to, in effect, personize the given verb, it requires the use of the Person Pronominal Prefix Set.

Applicative
The verbs here show the contrast between a verb in a regular form next to the same verb in the same tense using the Applicative. Note that applicative forms often utilize different pronominals than those seen on the regular verb form. Person Pronominals must be used with the applicative so the pronoun has to change. One exception to the pronoun changing is when a Set A verb with subject s/he takes the applicative with him as the object. On those forms, the pronominal stays the same.

REGULAR VERB FORM Gadloyhga. I cried

VERB APPLICATIVE Gvy-adlohyil-eli. I cried for you

Unahnesgehdi. Gvgw-ahnesgeh-ehdi. They have to build a house They have to build a house for me Udlanvdadelvi. He had time Osda nigvnehvi. I was fixing it Dayunihwasi. They will buy it Agw-adlanvdadel-elvi. He had time for me Osda ni-sdvy-vnel-ehvi. I was fixing it for you two Da-geji-hwas-eli. They will buy it for you

Jahnehldohdi agwaduliha. I want you to translate it

Adadolisdisgoi. She prays often

Sgin-ahnehltan-ehdi agwaduliha. I want you to translate it for me & him

Unetlanvhi adadolistan-ehoi. She prays to God often