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14. Perfective Paradigms

There are three perfective paradigms, the si- perfective, the hi- perfective, and the ni- perfective. Zero and -ł- class verbs employ a distinctive set of subject pronouns in the perfective mode [see number 12] but -d- and -l- class verbs use the same pronouns as in the other modes.

The si- perfective paradigm is as follows:

                   

Person	Zero or -ł- class	-d- and -l- class
Sg. 1	sí-	sish-
Sg. 2	sín-	sín-
Sg. 3	sí-	si-
Sg. 3a	jiis- [Mesc. ch'iis-]	jiis- [Mesc. ch'iis-]
Place	goos-	goos-
Indef.	'iis-	'iis-
Du. 1	sii[d] --	sii[d]-
	siͅiͅ[d]- [Mesc.]	siͅiͅ[d]- [Mesc.]
Du. 2	saa-	sah-

In the 3a person and when the place and indefinite pronouns are used, the perfective prefix si- loses its vowel causing the vowel of the preceding element to lengthen compensatively. The same thing occurs in the third persons of transitive verbs: yi- third person object plus si- > yiis-. There are numerous other instances where prefixes combine with the si- perfective prefix to produce irregularities in form. These will be explained in the notes in the texts.

The hi- perfective paradigm:

                   

Person	Chiricahua		Mescalero
Sg. 1	hóó-	hosh-	hóó-	hosh-
Sg. 2	hón-	hón-	hón-	hón --
Sg. 3	hóó-	hóó-	hóͅóͅ-	hóͅóͅ-
		ha-		ha-
Sg. 3a	jóó-	ja-	ch'óͅóͅ-	ch'a-
Place	góó-	ga-	góͅóͅ-	ga-
Indef.	'óó-	'a-	'óͅóͅ-	'a-
Du. 1	hoo[d]-	hoo[d]-	h oͅoͅ [d]-	h oͅoͅ [d]-
Du. 2	haa-	haah-	haa-	haah-

As may be seen in the case of the 3a person and in the place and indefinite pronouns, the initial h- of this prefix is lost when it is preceded by another prefix, I cannot explain the variant form haa- in the third persons of the - d- and -l- verbs. Other variant forms also occur but these will be treated in the notes to the texts.

The ni- perfective paradigm:

                     

Person	Chiricahua		Mescalero
Sg. 1	ní-	nish-	ní-	nish-
Sg. 2	ńn-	ńn-	ńn-	ńn-
Sg. 3	ń-	ń-	ń-	ń-
		high vowel		high nasal vowel
Sg. 3a	jíń-	jíń-	ch'íń-	ch'íń-
		jí-		ch'iͅ-
Place	góń-	góń-	góń-	góń-
Indef.	íń-	íń-	íń-	íń-
Du. 1	nn[d]-	nn[d]-	nn[d]-	nn[d]-
Du. 2	naa-	nah-	naa-	nah-

The above is the regular form of the ni- perfective paradigm. There are, however, numerous variant forms depending upon the nature of the preceding prefix. These will be explained as they occur in the notes to the texts.

The perfective paradigms, like those for the imperfective, serve two functions: to form neuter verbs and to form the perfective mode of active and passive verbs. The imperfective neuters, it will be remembered, defined states or qualities without reference to time or preceding action. Perfective neuters, however, define states or qualities which have resulted from preceding action. The si- perfective is used when a durative static notion is implied. Thus: si'áͅ 'a round object lies, has position' [- 'áͅ 'a round object moves'], sidá 'he is sitting, is seated' [-dá 'one person sits'], sizíͅ 'he is standing' [-zíͅ 'to stand']. The hi- perfective is employed when an inceptive static notion is implied: ditsiͅ- 'óó-'á- í 'a standing tree' [iitsiͅ 'tree', 'óó- > 'i- indefinite subject plus hi- perfective, -'á 'a rigid object has extension', -í relative], zaa-hoó- 'á-í 'bit [of a bridle]' [zaa- 'mouth', hoó- > ha- 'out' plus perfective prefix]. Finally, the ni- perfective is used when a completive static notion is to be expressed: naa-'ń-'á 'bridge' [naa- 'across', 'ń- > 'i- indefinite subject plus ni- perfective, -'á 'a rigid object has extension], góń-'á 'an arroyo' [góń- is the ni- perfective, place subject; -'á 'a rigid object has extension']

The perfective mode of the active and passive verb distinguish an action that has become complete. The form of the perfective paradigm is determined by the meaning of the derivational prefixes and the theme. Thus, naa-sí-yá, 'I have moved about' [naa- 'about', -yá 'one person moves'] may be contrasted with ha-óó-yá 'I have come out [e. g., of a hole]' [ha- 'out'] and n-ní-yá 'I have arrived, I have stopped moving I [ni- 'to an end'].