Initial Change

Observation

ᓃᐴ		niipuu	S/he is standing
ᐊᐙᓐ ᓈᐳᐎᑦ		awaan naapuwit	Who is standing?

Initial change is a phonological change that affects the first syllable of a verb or a preverb. For example, when the verb ᓃᐴ niipuu above, is put in the Conjunct (#11) and is used for a question, the conjunct form ᓃᐳᐧᐃᑦ niipuwit becomes ᓈᐳᐧᐃᑦ naapuwit. The vowel of the first syllable of the stem changes from ii to aa. Initial change only happens if there is no preverb before the verb stem. If a conjunct preverb such as ᐋᐦ aa(h), ᒑ chaa or ᑳᐦ kaa(h) is used, there will be no initial change.

Initial change never happens on verbs in the Imperative or the Independent order, only in the Conjunct order. Conjugations like Conjunct Indicative Neutral (#11) use it for (partial) questions in the present. Initial change is obligatory in two conjugations, the Conjunct Habitual (#12b) and the Conjunct Dubitative Neutral (#14).

Depending on the vowel of the stem, different changes happen. These are summarized in the table below Initial Change Rules for Verbs.

Initial Change Rules for Verbs

Short Vowels

Rule	–>		Dictionary form			Changed form (#11, question)
i > aa	ᐃ	ᐋ	ᐃᔅᒀᓯᒻ		iskwaasim	ᐊᐙᓐ ᐋᔅᒀᓯᐦᒃ		awaan aaskwaasihk
	ᑭ	ᑳ	ᑭᓂᐙᐱᐤ		kiniwaapiu	ᐊᐙᓐ ᑳᓂᐙᐱᑦ		awaan kaaniwaapit
	ᑭ	ᑳ	ᑭᐎᐱᔨᐤ		kiwipiyiu	ᐊᐙᓐ ᑳᐎᐱᔨᑦ		awaan kaawipiyit
	ᐱ	ᐹ	ᐱᐱᑳᐱᔅᑳᐤ		pipikaapiskaau	ᑖᓐ ᐹᐱᑳᐱᔅᑳᒡ		taan paapikaapiskaach
	ᑎ	ᑖ	ᑎᐦᑯᓂᒻ		tihkunim	ᐊᐙᓐ ᑖᐦᑯᓂᐦᒃ		awaan taahkunihk
	ᑎ	ᑖ	ᑎᐹᐹᑎᒻ		tipaapaatim	ᐊᐙᓐ ᑖᐹᐹᑎᐦᒃ		awaan taapaapaatihk
	ᒋ	ᒑ	ᒋᑭᐙᔑᔑᓐᐦ		chikiwaashishinh	ᐊᐙᓂᒌ ᒑᑭᐙᔑᔑᒡ		awaanichii chaakiwaashishich
	ᒋ	ᒑ	ᒋᐱᐦᐊᒻ		chipiham	ᐊᐙᓐ ᒑᐹᐦᒃ		awaan chaapaahk
	ᒥ	ᒫ	ᒥᒋᓂᒻ		michinim	ᐊᐙᓐ ᒫᒋᓂᐦᒃ		awaan maachinihk
	ᒥ	ᒫ	ᒥᔅᑭᒻ		miskim	ᐊᐙᓐ ᒫᔅᑭᐦᒃ		awaan maaskihk
			ᒥᑖᐹᔮᐤ		mitaapaayaau	ᑖᓂᑎᐦ ᒫᑖᐹᔮᒡ		taanitih maataapaayaach
	ᓯ	ᓵ	ᓯᔅᑭᑎᐱᐤ		siskitipiu	ᐊᐙᓐ ᓵᔅᑭᑎᐱᑦ		awaan saaskitipit
	ᓯ	ᓵ	ᓯᒋᐤ		sichiu	ᐊᐙᓐ ᓵᒋᑦ		awaan saachit
			ᓯᒋᓂᔅᒑᓈᐤ		sichinischaanaau	ᐊᐙᓐ ᓵᒋᓂᔅᒑᓈᑦ		awaan saachinischaanaat
	ᓂ	ᓈ	ᓂᑭᑎᒻ		nikitim	ᐊᐙᓐ ᓈᑭᑎᐦᒃ		awaan naakitihk
	ᓂ	ᓈ	ᓂᔅᑰ		niskuu	ᐊᐙᓐ ᓈᔅᑯᑦ		awaan naaskut
	ᔑ	ᔖ	ᔑᐙᔨᒫᐤ		shiwaayimaau	ᐊᐙᓐ ᔖᐙᔨᒫᑦ		awaan shaawaayimaat
	ᔑ	ᔖ	ᔑᔓᓂᒻ		shishunim	ᐊᐙᓐ ᔖᔓᓂᐦᒃ		awaan shaashunihk
	ᐃᔨ	ᐊᔮ	ᐃᔨᐦᒋᐦᑖᐤ		iyihchihtaau	ᐊᐙᓐ ᐃᔮᒋᐦᑖᑦ		awaan iyaachihtaat
	ᐎ	ᐙ	ᐎᓂᔑᓐ		winishin	ᐊᐙᓐ ᐙᓂᔑᐦᒃ		awaan waanishihk
			ᐎᑎᐳᔮᐤ		witipuyaau	ᐊᐙᓐ ᐙᑎᐳᔮᑦ		awaan waatipuyaat
	ᐎᔨ	ᐙᔨ	ᐎᔨᐐᐤ		wiyiwiiu	ᐊᐙᓐ ᐙᔨᐐᑦ		awaan waayiwiit
	ᐎᔮ	ᐙᔮ	ᐎᔮᔅᑯᓂᒑᐤ		wiyaaskunichaau	ᐊᐙᓐ ᐙᔮᔅᑯᓂᒑᑦ		awaan waayaaskunichaat
u > waa	ᐅ	ᐙ	ᐅᑎᓂᒻ		utinim	ᐊᐙᓐ ᐙᑎᓂᐦᒃ		awaan waatinihk
			ᐅᒑᐆ		uchaauu	ᒑᒀᓐ ᐙᒑᐧᐃᒡ		chaakwaan waachaawich
			ᐅᐙᔑᐹᔨᐦᑎᒻ		uwaashipaayihtim	ᐊᐙᓐ ᐙᐙᔑᐹᔨᐦᑎᐦᒃ		awaan waawaashipaayihtihk
	ᐳ	ᑆ	ᐳᔅᑎᓯᔅᒑᐤ		pustisischaau	ᐊᐙᓐ ᑆᔅᑎᓯᔅᒑᑦ		awaan pwaastisischaat
	ᑯ	ᒀ	ᑯᑎᐙᐤ		kutiwaau	ᐊᐙᓐ ᒀᑎᐙᑦ		awaan kwaatiwaat
			ᑯᐃᑯᓈᐤ		kuikunaau	ᐊᐙᓐ ᒀᐃᑯᓈᑦ		awaan kwaaikunaat
	ᓄ	ᓈ	ᓂᐎᒌᐤ		nuwichiiu	ᐊᐙᓐ ᓈᐎᒌᑦ		awaan naawichiit
	ᒧ	ᒸ	ᒧᔥᑖᓂᒻ		mushtaanim	ᐊᐙᓐ ᒸᔥᑖᓂᐦᒃ		awaan mwaashtaanihk
u > waa	ᓱ	ᔂ	ᓱᐦᒋᐱᔨᐤ		suhchipiyiu	ᐊᐙᓐ ᔂᐦᒋᐱᔨᑦ		awaan swaahchipiyit
u > uu	ᓱ	ᓱ				ᐊᐙᓐ ᓲᐦᒋᐱᔨᑦ		awaan suuhchipiyit
yu > yu	ᔪ	ᔪ	ᔪᐎᒑᐱᔨᐤ		yuwichaapiyiu	ᑖᓐ ᔪᐎᒑᐱᔨᑦ		taan yuwichaapiyit
a > aa	ᐊ	ᐋ	ᐊᑯᑖᐤ		akutaau	ᐊᐙᓐ ᐋᑯᑖᑦ		awaan aakutaat
			ᐊᐅᐦᐄᐙᐤ		auhiiwaau	ᐊᐙᓐ ᐋᐅᐦᐄᐙᑦ		awaan aauhiiwaat

Long Vowels

Rule	–>		Dictionary form			Changed form
ii > iyaa	ᐄ	ᐃᔮ	ᐄᐹᑎᓐ		iipaatin	ᐃᔮᐹᑎᐦᒡ		iyaapaatihch
			ᐄᔨᐹᑯᐦᑎᓐ		iiyipaakuhtin	ᐃᔮᔨᐹᑯᐦᑎᐦᒡ		iyaayipaakuhtihch
	ᐄ	ᐃᔮ	ᐄᐹᑖᔨᐦᑎᒻ		iipaataayihtim	ᐃᔮᐹᑖᔨᐦᑎᐦᒃ		iyaapaataayihtihk
						(ᐋᐹᑖᔨᐦᑎᐦᒃ)		(aapaataayihtihk)
ii > aa	ᐄ	ᐋ	ᐄᐹᑖᔨᐦᑎᒻ		iipaataayihtim	ᐋᐹᑖᔨᐦᑎᐦᒃ		aapaataayihtihk
						(ᐃᔮᐹᑖᔨᐦᑎᐦᒃ)		(iyaapaataayihtihk)
	ᐄ(ᔨ)	ᐋ(ᔨ)	ᐄᔨᑯᔅᑯᓐ		iiyikuskun	ᐋᔨᑯᔅᑯᐦᒡ		aayikuskuhch
			ᐄᔨᔨᐅᓂᐦᑳᑖᐤ		iiyiyiunihkaataau	ᐋᔨᔨᐅᓂᐦᑳᑖᑦ		aayiyiunihkaataat
	ᒌ	ᒑ	ᒌᔥᐴ		chiishpuu	ᐊᐙᓐ ᒑᔥᐳᑦ		awaan chaashput
	ᒦ	ᒫ	ᒦᒋᓲ		miichisuu	ᐊᐙᓐ ᒫᒋᓱᑦ		awaan maachisut
	ᓃ	ᓈ	ᓃᐴ		niipuu	ᐊᐙᓐ ᓈᐳᐎᑦ		awaan naapuwit
	ᔒ	ᔖ	ᔒᑭᐦᐆ		shiikihuu	ᐊᐙᓐ ᔖᑭᐦᐅᑦ		awaan shaakihut
			ᔒᑭᐦᐊᒻ		shiikiham	ᐊᐙᓐ ᔖᑳᐦᒃ		awaan shaakaahk
	ᓰ	ᓵ	ᓰᑐᓈᐤ		siitunaau	ᐊᐙᓐ ᓵᑐᓈᑦ		awaan saatunaat
aa > iyaa	ᐋ	ᐃᔮ	ᐋᐦᑯᓯᐤ		aahkusiu	ᐊᐙᓐ ᐃᔮᐦᑯᓯᑦ		awaan iyaahkusit
			ᐋᔅᒑᐤ		aaschaau	ᐊᐙᓐ ᐃᔮᔅᒑᑦ		awaan iyaaschaat
	ᑳ	ᑭᔮ	ᑳᑖᐤ		kaataau	ᐊᐙᓐ ᑭᔮᑖᑦ		awaan kiyaataat
	ᑖ	ᑎᔮ	ᑖᐦᑎᐱᐤ		taahtipiu	ᐊᐙᓐ ᑎᔮᐦᑎᐱᑦ		awaan tiyaahtipit
			ᑖᐦᒋᓂᒻ		taahchinim	ᐊᐙᓐ ᑎᔮᐦᒋᓂᐦᒃ		awaan tiyaahchinihk
	ᒑ	ᒋᔮ	ᒑᔥᑎᓂᒻ		chaashtinim	ᐊᐙᓐ ᒋᔮᔥᑎᓂᐦᒃ		awaan chiyaashtinihk
			ᒑᐦᑳᔅᒀᔨᐤ		chaahkaaskwaayiu	ᐊᐙᓐ ᒋᔮᐦᑳᔅᒀᔨᑦ		awaan chiyaahkaaskwaayit
	ᒫ	ᒥᔮ	ᒫᑎᐙᐤ		maatiwaau	ᐊᐙᓐ ᒥᔮᑎᐙᑦ		awaan miyaatiwaat
			ᒫᑑ		maatuu	ᐊᐙᓐ ᒥᔮᑐᑦ		awaan miyaatut
	ᓈ	ᓂᔮ	ᓈᓯᐹᐤ		naasipaau	ᐊᐙᓐ ᓂᔮᓯᐹᑦ		awaan niyaasipaat
			ᓈᒨ		naamuu	ᐊᐙᓐ ᓂᔮᒧᑦ		awaan niyaamut
	ᓵ	ᓯᔮ	ᓵᒋᓯᐤ		saachisiu	ᐊᐙᓐ ᓯᔮᒋᓯᑦ		awaan siyaachisit
			ᓵᐲᐤ		saapiiu	ᐊᐙᓐ ᓯᔮᐲᑦ		awaan siyaapiit
	ᔖ	ᔑᔮ	ᔖᐱᐳᔨᐤ		shaapipuyiu	ᐊᐙᓐ ᔑᔮᐱᐳᔨᑦ		awaan shiyaapipuyit
	ᔮ	ᐃᔮ	ᔮᔨᓈᐤ		yaayinaau	ᐊᐙᓐ ᐃᔮᔨᓈᑦ		awaan iyaayinaat
			ᔮᐦᔮᐤ		yaahyaau	ᐊᐙᓐ ᐃᔮᐦᔮᑦ		awaan iyaahyaat
	ᐙ	ᐎᔮ	ᐙᐱᓂᒻ		waapinim	ᐊᐙᓐ ᐎᔮᐱᓂᐦᒃ		awaan wiyaapinihk
			ᐙᐱᓯᐤ		waapisiu	ᐊᐙᓐ ᐎᔮᐱᓯᑦ		awaan wiyaapisit
kwaa> kwaa	ᒀ	ᒀ	ᒀᑎᐲᐤ		kwaatipiiu	ᐊᐙᓐ ᒀᑎᐲᑦ		awaan kwaatipiit
kwaa>kuyaa	ᒀ	ᑯᔮ				ᐊᐙᓐ ᑯᔮᑎᐲᑦ		awaan kuyaatipiit
kwaa>kuyaa	ᒀ	ᑯᔮ	ᒀᔥᑯᐦᑎᐤ		kwaashkuhtiu	ᑯᔮᐱᒑᑦ		awaan kuyaapichaat
kwaa>kuywaa	ᒀ	ᑯᔻ	ᒀᐱᒑᐤ		kwaapichaau	ᐊᐙᓐ ᑯᔻᔥᑯᐦᑎᑦ		awaan kuywaashkuhtit
twaa> tiywaa	ᑣ	ᑎᔻ	ᑣᔑᓐ		twaashin	ᐊᐙᓐ ᑎᔻᔑᐦᒃ		awaan tiywaashihk
			ᑣᐱᔨᐤ		twaapiyiu	ᑎᔻᐱᔨᒡ		chaakwaan tiywaapiyich
mwaa> muyaa	ᒸ	ᒧᔮ	ᒸᔥᑎᔑᓐ		mwaashtishin	ᐊᐙᓐ ᒧᔮᔥᑎᔑᐦᒃ		awaan muyaashtishihk
			ᒸᔅᒑᐤ		mwaaschaau	ᒧᔮᔅᒑᑦ		awaan muyaaschaat
mwaa> miywaa		ᒥᔻ				ᒥᔻᔅᒑᑦ		awaan miywaaschaat
pwaa> puyaa	ᑆ	ᐳᔮ	ᑆᒋᔅᑑ		pwaachistuu	ᐊᐙᓐ ᐳᔮᒋᔅᑐᑦ		awaan puyaachistut
pwaa>piywaa		ᐱᔻ				ᐊᐙᓐ ᐱᔻᒋᔅᑐᑦ		awaan piywaachistut
		ᐱᔮ	ᑆᒋᒋᑭᐦᑖᐤ		pwaachichikihtaau	ᐱᔻᒋᒋᑭᐦᑖᒡ		chaakwaan piywaachichikihtaach
ywaa> iywaa	ᔻ	ᐃᔻ	ᔻᓂᒻ		ywaanim	ᐊᐙᓐ ᐃᔻᓂᐦᒃ		awaan iywaanihk
			ᔻᓈᐤ		ywaanaau	ᐃᔻᓈᑦ		awaan iywaanaat
shwaa > shiywaa	ᔣ	ᔑᔻ	ᔣᔥᑖᐤ		shwaashtaau	ᔑᔻᔥᑖᒡ		chaakwaan shiywaashtaach
uu > uu	ᑰ	ᑰ	ᑰᒌᐤ		kuuchiiu	ᐊᐙᓐ ᑰᒌᑦ		awaan kuuchiit
uu > waa		ᒀ				ᐊᐙᓐ ᒀᒌᑦ		awaan kwaachiit
		ᑰ	ᑰᓂᐆ		kuuniuu	ᐊᐙᓐ ᑰᓂᐎᑦ		awaan kuuniwit
		ᒀ				ᐊᐙᓐ ᒀᓂᐎᑦ		awaan kwaaniwit
	ᐴ	ᐴ	ᐴᐴᔑᐤ		puupuushiu	ᐴᐴᔑᑦ		awaan puupuushit
		ᑆ				ᑆᐴᔑᑦ		awaan pwaapuushit
	ᑑ	ᑑ	ᑑᒥᓂᒻ		tuuminim	ᑑᒥᓂᐦᒃ		awaan tuuminihk
		ᑣ				ᑣᒥᓂᐦᒃ		awaan twaaminihk
	ᓅ	ᓅ	ᓅᑯᓯᐤ		nuukusiu	ᐊᐙᓐ ᓅᑯᓯᑦ		awaan nuukusit
		ᓍ				ᐊᐙᓐ ᓍᑯᓯᑦ		awaan nwaakusit
	ᓅ	ᓅ	ᓅᑯᓐ		nuukun	ᓅᑯᐦᒡ		chaakwaan nuukuhch
		ᓍ				ᓍᑯᐦᒡ		chaakwaan nwaakuhch
	ᒨ	ᒨ	ᒨᒋᑭᐦᑖᐤ		muuchikihtaau	ᐊᐙᓐ ᒨᒋᑭᐦᑖᑦ		awaan muuchikihtaat
		ᒸ				ᐊᐙᓐ ᒸᒋᑭᐦᑖᑦ		awaan mwaachikihtaat
	ᒨ	ᒨ	ᒨᒋᑭᓐ		muuchikin	ᒨᒋᑭᐦᒡ		chaakwaan muuchikihch
		ᒸ				ᒸᒋᑭᐦᒡ		chaakwaan mwaachikihch
	ᔫ	ᔫ	ᔫᔅᑳᐤ		yuuskaau	ᒑᒀᓐ ᔻᔅᑳᒡ		chaakwaan ywaaskaach
		ᔻ				ᒑᒀᓐ ᔫᔅᑳᒡ		chaakwaan yuuskaach
	ᓲ	ᓲ	ᓲᐱᐱᔨᐤ		suupipiyiu	ᓲᐱᐱᔨᒡ		chaakwaan suupipiyich
		ᔂ				ᔂᐱᐱᔨᒡ		chaakwaan swaapipiyich
	ᔔ	ᔔ	ᔔᔑᐎᐦᐊᒻ		shuushiwiham	ᐊᐙᓐ ᔔᔑᐙᐦᒃ		awaan shuushiwaahk
		ᔣ				ᐊᐙᓐ ᔣᔑᐎᐦᐊᐦᒃ		awaan shwaashiwihahk
		ᔔ	ᔔᔑᐙᐤ		shuushiwaau	ᔔᔑᐙᒡ		chaakwaan shuushiwaach
		ᔣ				ᔣᔑᐙᒡ		chaakwaan shwaashiwaach
	ᓲ	ᓲ	ᓲᐳᐦᑖᐤ		suupuhtaau	ᐊᐙᓐ ᓲᐱᐦᑖᑦ		awaan suupihtaat
		ᐧᓵ				ᐧᓵᐱᐦᑖᑦ		awaan swaapihtaat
	ᑑ	ᑑ	ᑑᒥᑎᐦᒑᐤ		tuumitihchaau	ᑑᒥᑎᐦᒑᑦ		awaan tuumitihchaat
		ᐧᑖ				ᐧᑖᒥᑎᐦᒑᑦ		awaan twaamitihchaat

Conjunct Verb Order