Initial Change

Observation

ᓃᐴ		niipuu	S/he is standing
ᐊᐌᓐ ᓈᐴᑦ		awen naapuut	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 ᓃᐴᑦ niipuut becomes ᓈᐴᑦ naapuut. 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 ᐁ e, ᒉ che or ᑳ kaa 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 > e	ᐃ	ᐁ	ᐃᔅᒀᓴᒻ		iskwaasam	ᐊᐌᓐ ᐋᔅᒀᓯᐦᒃ		awen eskwaasahk
	ᑎ	ᑖ	ᑎᐹᐹᑎᒻ		tipaapaatam	ᐊᐌᓐ ᑖᐹᐹᑎᐦᒃ		awen tepaapaatahk
	ᒋ	ᒑ	ᒋᐱᐦᐊᒻ		chipaham	ᐊᐌᓐ ᒑᐹᐦᒃ		awen chepahak
	ᒥ	ᒫ	ᒥᔅᑲᒻ		miskam	ᐊᐌᓐ ᒫᔅᑭᐦᒃ		awen meskahk
	ᒥ	ᒣ	ᒥᒋᓯᒨ		michisimuu	ᐊᐤᓐ ᒣᒋᓯᒧᑦ		awen mechisimut
	ᓯ	ᓭ	ᓯᒎ		sichuu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᓭᒋᑦ		awen sechit
	ᓂ	ᓀ	ᓂᔅᑰ		niskuu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᓀᔅᑰᑦ		awen neskuut
	ᔑ	ᔐ	ᔑᒥᑕᐴ		shimitapuu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᔐᒥᑕᐱᑦ		awen shemitapit
	ᔑ	ᔐ	ᔑᑯᐦᐊᒻ		shikuham	ᐊᐌᓐ ᔐᑯᐦᐊᐤᒄ		awen shekuhakw
	ᐎ	ᐌ	ᐎᔮᔅᑯᓂᒉᐤ		wiyaaskunicheu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᐌᔮᔅᑯᓂᒉᑦ		awen weyaaskunichet
u > we	ᐅ	ᐌ	ᐅᑎᓇᒻ		utinam	ᐊᐌᓐ ᐌᑎᓇᐦᒃ		awen wetinahk
	ᑯ	ᑴ	ᑯᑐᐌᐤ		kutuweu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᑴᑐᐌᑦ		awen kwetuwet
	ᒧ	ᒬ	ᒧᔥᑌᓇᒻ		mushtenam	ᐊᐌᓐ ᒬᔥᑌᓇᐦᒃ		awen mweshtenahk
u > e	ᓄ	ᓀ	ᓄᐗᒌᐤ		nuwachiiu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᓀᐙᒌᑦ		awen newaachiit
a > e	ᐊ	ᐁ	ᐊᑯᑖᐤ		akutaau	ᐊᐌᓐ ᐁᑯᑖᑦ		awen ekutaat
	ᑕ	ᑌ	ᑕᐦᑯᓇᒻ		tahkunam	ᐊᐌᓐ ᑌᐦᑯᓇᐦᒃ		awen tehkunahk
	ᑲ	ᑫ	ᑲᓇᐙᐴ		kanawaapuu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᑫᓇᐙᐱᑦ		awen kenawaapit
	ᒪ	ᒣ	ᒪᒋᓇᒻ		machinam	ᐊᐌᓐ ᒣᒋᓇᐦᒃ		awen mechinahk
	ᓇ	ᓀ	ᓇᑲᑕᒻ		nakatam	ᐊᐌᓐ ᓀᑲᑕᐦᒃ		awen nekatahk
	ᓴ	ᓭ	ᓴᔅᑲᑕᐴ		saskatapuu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᓭᔅᑲᑕᐱᑦ		awen seskatapit
	ᐗ	ᐌ	ᐗᓂᔑᓐ		wanishin	ᐊᐌᓐ ᐌᓂᔑᐦᒃ		awen wenishihk
sha > shaa	ᔕ	ᔖ	ᔕᐌᔨᒣᐤ		shaweyimeu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᔖᐌᔨᒫᑦ		awen shaaweyimaat
ya > ye	ᔭ	ᔦ	ᔭᐦᒋᓇᒻ		yahchinam	ᐊᐌᓐ ᔦᒋᓇᐦᒃ		awen yehchinahk

 

Long Vowels

Rule	–>		Dictionary form			Changed form
e > iye	ᐁ	ᐃᔦ	ᐁᔅᒉᐤ		escheu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᐃᔦᔅᒉᑦ		awen iyeschet
	ᑌ	ᑎᔦ	ᑌᐦᑕᐴ		tehtapuu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᑎᔦᐦᑕᐱᑦ		awen tiyehtapit
	ᒉ	ᒋᔦ	ᒉᔥᑎᓇᒻ		cheshtinam	ᐊᐌᓐ ᒋᔦᔥᑎᓇᐦᒃ		awen chiyeshtinahk
	ᒣ	ᒥᔦ	ᒣᑕᐌᐤ		metaweu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᒥᔦᑕᐌᑦ		awen miyetawet
	ᓀ	ᓂᔦ	ᓀᒨ		nemuu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᓂᔦᒧᑦ		awen niyemut
	ᓭ	ᓯᔦ	ᓭᒋᓲ		sechisuu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᓯᔦᒋᓯᑦ		awen siyechisit
	ᔐ	ᔑᔦ	ᔐᓇᒻ		shenam	ᐊᐌᓐ ᔑᔦᓇᐦᒃ		awen shiyenahk
	ᐌ	ᐎᔦ	ᐌᐱᓇᒻ		wepinam	ᐊᐌᓐ ᐎᔦᐱᓇᐦᒃ		awen wiyepinahk
we > uye	ᐺ	ᐳᔦ	ᐺᒋᔅᑑ		pwechistuu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᐳᔦᒋᔅᑐᑦ		awen puyechistut
	ᑴ	ᑯᔦ	ᑴᑎᐲᐤ		kwetipiiu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᑯᔦᑎᐲᑦ		awen kuyetipiit
	ᒬ	ᒧᔦ	ᒬᔥᑖᑕᒻ		mweshtaatam	ᐊᐌᓐ ᒧᔦᔥᑖᑕᐦᒃ		awen muyeshtaatahk
			ᒬᔥᒋᔑᓐ		mweshchishin	ᐊᐌᓐ ᒧᔦᔥᒋᔑᐦᒃ		awen muyeshchishihk
ii > eyi	ᐐ	ᐌᔨ	ᐐᐐᐤ		wiiwiiu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᐌᔨᐐᑦ		awen weyiwiit
	ᐄ	ᐁᔨ	ᐄᐹᑌᔨᒣᐤ		iipaateyimeu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᐁᔨᐹᑌᔨᒫᑦ		awen eyipaateyimaat
			ᐄᒀᔅᑯᐌᐤ		iikwaaskuweu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᐁᔨᒀᔅᑯᐙᑦ		awen eyikwaaskuwaat
			ᐄᑑᐦᑯᑌᐤ		iituuhkuteu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᐁᔨᑑᐦᑯᑖᑦ		awen eyituuhkutaat
ii > ii	ᑏ	ᑏ	ᑏᔻᐴᐦᒉᐤ		tiiywaapuuhcheu (irregular)	ᐊᐌᓐ ᑏᔻᐴᐦᒉᑦ		awen tiiywaapuuchet
ii > aa	ᓰ	ᓵ	ᓰᑑᓀᐤ		siituuneu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᓵᑑᓈᑦ		awen saatuunaat
	ᔒ	ᔖ	ᔒᑲᐦᐊᒻ		shiikaham	ᐊᐌᓐ ᔖᑲᐦᐊᐦᒃ		awen shaakahahk
	ᒌ	ᒑ	ᒌᔥᐴ		chiishpuu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᒑᔥᐳᑦ		awen chaashput
		ᑳ				ᐊᐌᓐ ᑳᔥᐴᑦ		awen kaashpuut
	ᒦ	ᒫ	ᒦᒋᓲ		miichisuu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᒫᒋᓱᑦ		awen maachisut
	ᓃ	ᓈ	ᓃᐴ		niipuu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᓈᐴᑦ		awen naapuut
	ᐐ	ᐙ	ᐐᐅᔔ		wiiushuu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᐙᐅᔑᑦ		awen waaushit
			ᐐᓂᑌᐤ		wiiniteu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᐙᓂᑌᑦ		awen waanitet
			ᐐᓂᐦᐄᓲ		wiinihiisuu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᐙᓂᐦᐄᓱᑦ		awen waanihiisut
ii > aayi	ᒦ	ᒫᔨ	ᒦᐌᐤ		miiweu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᒫᔨᐌᑦ		awen maayiwet
uu > we	ᐆ	ᐌ	ᐆᒎᐅᐤ		uucheuu	ᒉᒀᓐ ᐌᒉᐆᒡ		chekwaan wecheuuch
			ᐆᔅᑴᐙᑕᒻ		uuskwewaatam	ᐊᐌᓐ ᐌᔅᑴᐙᑕᐦᒃ		awen weskwewaatahk
uu > uu	ᑰ	ᑰ	ᑰᒌᐤ		kuuchiiu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᑰᒌᑦ		awen kuuchiit
	ᑲᐅ	ᑴᐅ	[ᑲᐅᒌᐤ]		kauchiiu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᑴᐅᒌᑦ		awen kweuchiit
	ᑰ	ᑰ	ᑰᓅ		kuunuu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᑰᓅᑦ		awen kuunuut
	ᒨ	ᒨ	ᒨᒋᑲᐦᑖᐤ		muuchikahtaau	ᐊᐌᓐ ᒨᒋᑲᐦᑖᑦ		awen muuchikahtaat
	ᓅ	ᓅ	ᓅᑯᓲ		nuukusuu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᓅᑯᓯᑦ		awen nuukusit
	ᓲ	ᓲ	ᓲᐳᐦᑖᐤ		suupuhtaau	ᐊᐌᓐ ᓲᐳᐦᑖᑦ		awen suupuhtaat
	ᔔ	ᔔ	ᔔᔔᐦᐊᒻ		shuushuuham	ᐊᐌᓐ ᔔᔔᐦᐊᐦᒃ		awen shuushuuhahk
	ᔫ	ᔫ	ᔫᐦᐄᒉᐤ		yuuhiicheu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᔫᐦᐄᒉᑦ		awen yuuhiichet
			ᔫᐦᑌᓇᒻ		yuuhtenam	ᐊᐌᓐ ᔫᐦᑌᓇᐦᒃ		awen yuuhtenahk
aa > iyaa	ᐋ	ᐃᔮ	ᐋᐦᑯᓲ		aahkusuu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᐃᔮᐦᑯᓯᑦ		awen iyaahkusit
			ᐋᐌᓄᐌᐤ		aawenuweu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᐃᔮᐌᓄᐙᑦ		awen iyaawenuwaat
			ᐋᐱᔅᑎᒋᔗᐤ		aapistichishweu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᐃᔮᐱᔅᑎᒋᔓᐙᑦ		awen iyaapistichishuwaat
	ᑖ	ᑎᔮ	ᑖᐦᒋᓇᒻ		taahchinam	ᐊᐌᓐ ᑎᔮᐦᒋᓇᐦᒃ		awen tiyaahchinahk
	ᑳ	ᑭᔮ	ᑳᑖᐤ		kaataau	ᐊᐌᓐ ᑭᔮᑖᑦ		awen kiyaataat
	ᒑ	ᒋᔮ	ᒑᐦᑳᔅᑴᔫ		chaahkaaskweyuu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᒋᔮᐦᑳᔅᑴᔨᑦ		awen chiyaahkaaskweyit
	ᒫ	ᒥᔮ	ᒫᑑ		maatuu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᒥᔮᑐᑦ		awen miyaatut
	ᓈ	ᓂᔮ	ᓈᓯᐯᐤ		naasipeu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᓂᔮᓯᐯᑦ		awen niyaasipet
	ᓵ	ᓯᔮ	ᓵᐲᐤ		saapiiu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᓯᔮᐲᑦ		awen siyaapiit
	ᔖ	ᔑᔮ	ᔖᐳᐸᔫ		shaapupayuu	ᒉᒀᓐ ᔑᔮᐳᐸᔨᒡ		chekwaan shiyaapupayich
						ᐊᐌᓐ ᔑᔮᐳᐸᔨᑦ		awen shiyaapupayit
	ᔮ	ᐃᔮ	ᔮᔨᓀᐤ		yaayineu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᐃᔮᔨᓈᑦ		awen iyaayinaat
waa > wiyaa	ᐙ	ᐎᔮ	ᐙᐱᓲ		waapisuu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᐎᔮᐱᓯᑦ		awen wiyaapisit
waa > uyaa	ᒀ	ᑯᔻ	ᒀᔥᑯᐦᑑ		kwaashkuhtuu	ᐊᐌᓐ ᑯᔻᔥᑯᑎᑦ		awen kuywaashkutit
waa > iywaa	ᔣ	ᔑᔻ	ᔣᔣᑲᐦᐊᒻ		shwaashwaakaham	ᐊᐌᓐ ᔑᔻᔣᑲᐦᐊᐦᒃ		awen shiywaashwaakahahk
	ᑣ	ᑎᔻ	ᑣᔑᓐ		twaashin	ᐊᐌᓐ ᑎᔻᔑᐦᒃ		awen tiywaashihk
	ᔻ	ᐃᔻ	ᔻᓇᒻ		ywaanam	ᐊᐌᓐ ᐃᔻᓇᐦᒃ		awen iywaanahk

Conjunct Verb Order