From A Short Practical Grammar of Hupa by Victor Golla, for the Hupa Language Program, Hoopa Valley Tribe, December 1985.
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Subject |
Subject Prefix |
going (to) swim/bathe |
to fall over |
going to put stick in |
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I |
we: or y |
na:y-me' te: |
k'e:y-xits' |
yeh-we:-tan te: |
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You |
win |
nam-me' te: |
k'e:-wing-xits' |
yeh-win-tan te: |
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He/She |
ch'i-win or 'win |
na'-wi-me' te: |
k'e'-wing-xits' |
yeh-ch'i-win-tan te: |
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We |
wi-di |
na:-wi-di-me' te: |
k'e:-wi-di-xits' |
yeh-wi-di-tan te: |
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You all |
woh |
na:woh-me' te: |
k'e:-woh-xits' |
yeh-woh-tan te: |
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They |
ya'-win |
na:ya'-wi-me' te: |
k'e:-ya'-wing-xits' |
yeh-ya'-win-tan te: |
Notice the verbs all have specific "stems". To swim/bathe has a verb stem of -me'. To fall over has a verb stem of -xits. Going to put stick in has a verb stem of -tan.
Each verb has a modifying prefix. To swim/bathe has a modifying prefix of na-. To fall over has a modifying prefix of k'e-. Going to put stick in has a modifying prefix of -yeh, which indicates the "in".
The subject is determined by a piece of the word such as we:-, ch'i-win-, wi-di-, ... All of the subject markers contain some form of a "w" sound.
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Modifying Prefixes Linked to this Pattern |
Meaning of Modifying Prefix |
Example |
Meaning of Example |
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de- or di- |
into the fire |
de'-di-win-ta:n |
He put in into the fire |
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di- |
(moving) off, out |
ch'i-di-win-ta:n |
He took it off |
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je- |
apart |
je'-wi-lay |
He set them apart from one another |
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na- |
down (to the ground) |
na'-win-ta:n |
He put in on the ground |
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sa- |
into (someone's) mouth |
whi-sa'-win-ta:n |
He put it in my mouth |
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ta- |
in, through water |
ta'-win-yay |
He went through the water. |
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teh- |
into the water |
teh-ch'i-win-ta:n |
He put it into the water |
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tin- or ti- |
away, lost |
ti(n)'-win-yay |
He got lost |
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xa- |
up and out (of a hole) |
xa'-win-ta:n |
He pulled it up out of the ground |
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xo-da- |
down along |
xo-da'-win-yay |
He went down (the slope) |