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(25.1) Linguistic Notes

The first line of this passage is literally as follows: "Their camps, it is said / many, it is said / on the flat."

Łáͅná'a, góńteelyá. 'flat, plain' is the ni- perf. neut. of the theme -teel 'to be flat' with place subject. Cf. ni-...-teel 'to be broad, flat' [imp. neut. intr.].

2. bánant'áń 'their chief'. bánant'á 'chief, he commands', 3rd person of naa-ni...t'a 'to command, direct' [imp. neut. intr.]. . báá- 'for them'.

3. 'idiͅiͅgo baa'ándiidihndiiná'a [this appears as 'idiͅiͅgo baa'ándiidihndiná'a within the text--MEC] 'they were very obedient'. 'idiͅiͅ [also 'ídiͅiͅ] 'very, exceedingly'. baa'ándiidihndii 'they are obedient, they do what they are told' cannot be analyzed. Cf. shaa'ándiidihndii 'I am obedient'.

(25.2) Linguistic Notes

1. Dáhaͅhgo łee'ésilíͅná'a 'they came together hurriedly'. da- 'just'; haͅh 'quickly'. łee'é 'together' plus the 3rd person perf. of ...[si- perf.]-laa 'to become' [act. intr.].

2. hadaahákago 'when you have intercourse'. 2nd person distrib. perf.of ha- hi-...[si- perf.]-ká 'several go out' [act. intr.], a euphemistic expression for 'to copulate'. In the second person dual, the dual prefix a- combines with the si- perfective to form á- .

3. gaa'ye dábí'dałndí 'make a noise like the crow'. gaa'ye 'crow' [also heard gaadé]. dábí 'just him' plus the 2nd person dual imp. of 'i-di-...[si- perf.]-ł- ndí 'to make a noise' [act. intr.]. 'i- ?; di- noise[?].

(25.3) Linguistic Notes

bizaa hagodóódláná'a. 'his voice was heard'. - zaa 'voice'. hagodóódlá, perf. of ha-fo-di- ...[hi- perf.]-dlaa 'a noise is heard' [act. intr.]. ha- 'out'; go- ?; di- noise. The theme occurs only with this prefix complex.