Alternative Pronouns

Observation

ᑯᑎᒃ ᓂᑭ ᐋᐱᒋᐦᐋᐤ᙮

kutik niki aapichihaau.

I will use another one.

The word ᑯᑎᒃ kutik in the above example is called an alternative pronoun. It is used to express the concept ‘other’. Alternative pronouns take inflection and are found alone or with a noun.

ᑯᑎᒃ ᐅᑖᐹᓈᔅᒄ ᓂᑭ ᐋᐱᒋᐦᐋᐤ᙮		kutik utaapaanaaskw niki aapichihaau.	I will use another toboggan.
ᑯᑎᒃ ᓂᑭ ᐋᐱᒋᐦᐋᐤ ᐅᑖᐹᓈᔅᒄ᙮		kutik niki aapichihaau utaapaanaaskw.	I will use another toboggan.

Alternative pronouns:

Proximate

Obviative

singular

plural

singular

plural

Animate

ᑯᑎᒃ

kutik

ᑯᑎᑭᒡ

kutikich

ᑯᑎᒃᐦ

kutikh

ᑯᑎᒃᐦ

kutikh

Inanimate

ᑯᑎᒡ

kutich

ᑯᑎᒃᐦ

kutikh

ᑯᑎᒋᔨᐤ

kutichiyiu

ᑯᑎᒃᐦ

kutikh

ᑯᑎᒃ

kutik

Younger speakers often use the new form, considered incorrect, ᑯᑎᑭᔨᐤ kutikiyiu, instead of ᑯᑎᒋᔨᐤ kutichiyiu.

When used with ᐊᐧᐋᓐ awaan or ᒑᐧᑳᓐ chaakwaan, ᑯᑎᒃ kutik means ‘someone else’ or ‘something else’.

ᑯᑎᒃ ᐊᐧᐋᓐ ᓂᑭ ᐧᐄᒋᐦᐄᒄ᙮		kutik awaan niki wiichihiikw.	Someone else will help me.
ᑯᑎᒡ ᒑᐧᑳᓐ ᓂᑭ ᐋᐱᒋᐦᑖᓐ᙮		kutich chaakwaan niki aapichihtaan.	I will use something else.