Advanced Virginia Algonquian (Powhatan) Grammar
Virginia Algonquian, like other Algonquian languages, is a polysynthetic language where complex words can express what would require entire sentences in English. While our knowledge of Virginia Algonquian grammar is limited due to the historical sources, we can reconstruct many features based on related Eastern Algonquian languages.
This guide presents the basic grammatical structures of Virginia Algonquian as reconstructed from historical sources and comparative linguistics. The examples combine documented vocabulary with reconstructed grammatical patterns.
Nouns in Virginia Algonquian are categorized as either animate or inanimate, a distinction that affects verb conjugation, pluralization, and other grammatical features.
Animate nouns include people, animals, spirits, certain plants, and culturally significant objects.
Inanimate nouns include most objects, abstract concepts, and natural phenomena.
Possession is indicated by prefixes attached to the noun:
| Possessive Form | Prefix | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person (my) | ne-/n- | ne-mêttock | my head |
| 2nd person (your) | ke-/k- | ke-mêttock | your head |
| 3rd person (his/her) | we-/w- | we-mêttock | his/her head |
Many body parts and kinship terms always appear with a possessive prefix in the historical sources, suggesting that they are inalienably possessed.
Nouns are marked for singular and plural, with different suffixes for animate and inanimate nouns:
| Type | Singular | Plural | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animate | Base form | -ak/-ik | attum (dog) → attumak (dogs) |
| Inanimate | Base form | -ash/-ish | assoone (stone) → assooneash (stones) |
Verbs are the most complex part of Virginia Algonquian grammar. They carry information about who is doing what to whom, when, where, and how through a variety of prefixes, suffixes, and infixes.
Intransitive Animate (AI): Actions performed by animate subjects with no direct object.
Intransitive Inanimate (II): States or conditions of inanimate subjects.
Transitive Animate (TA): Actions performed by a subject on an animate object.
Transitive Inanimate (TI): Actions performed by a subject on an inanimate object.
Verbs are marked for person and number through a combination of prefixes and suffixes:
| Person | Prefix | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person (I) | ne-/n- | ne-pomiteyouqh | I walk |
| 2nd person (you) | ke-/k- | ke-pomiteyouqh | you walk |
| 3rd person (he/she) | Ø- (no prefix) | pomiteyouqh | he/she walks |
For transitive verbs with both a subject and an object, the marking becomes more complex:
Virginia Algonquian likely marked tense and aspect through a combination of specific suffixes and particles:
| Tense/Aspect | Marker | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | Base form | ne-mecitchêh | I eat |
| Past | -up suffix | ne-mecitchêh-up | I ate |
| Future | -etah suffix | ne-mecitchêh-etah | I will eat |
| Ongoing/Progressive | -epu suffix | ne-mecitchêh-epu | I am eating |
Different verb forms exist for different moods:
Indicative: Statements of fact (base form)
Imperative: Commands (typically using specific suffixes)
Subjunctive: Hypothetical situations
Examples of imperative forms:
| Base Form | Imperative | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| peyagh (come) | peyagh-sh | Come! (singular) |
| mecitchêh (eat) | mecitchêh-k | Eat! (plural) |
| kettorauog (speak) | kettorauog-ken | Speak! (singular) |
Negation is indicated with prefixes and suffixes that surround the verb root:
Virginia Algonquian, like other Algonquian languages, likely had a basic Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) word order, though this could vary for emphasis or pragmatic purposes.
Nemarough nameeth upsummenaaw.
nemarough nameeth upsummena-aw
man fish catch-3SG.3SG
"The man catches a fish."
However, since verbs carry information about both subject and object, the word order could be flexible:
Upsummenaaw nemarough nameeth.
upsummena-aw nemarough nameeth
catch-3SG.3SG man fish
"The man catches a fish." (with emphasis on the action)
In noun phrases, modifiers typically precede the noun:
| Virginia Algonquian | Gloss | English |
|---|---|---|
| winger attum | good dog | good dog |
| nehessayew matchcôat | red blanket | red blanket |
| mâss yehawkan | big house | big house |
Demonstratives (this, that) also precede the noun:
| Demonstrative | Meaning | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| yôho | this (near) | yôho yehawkan | this house |
| nawwot | that (far) | nawwot yehawkan | that house |
Question formation likely involved question words and/or specific question particles:
| Question Word | Meaning | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| kekoy | what | Kekoy kenummêchamen? | What do you see? |
| thuan | who | Thuan peyagho? | Who is coming? |
| tanneh | where | Tanneh kêmatah? | Where are you? |
Here are some example sentences in Virginia Algonquian with analysis:
Ne-nattewowan attecenna.
ne-nattewowan attecenna
1SG-hunt deer
"I hunt deer."
Attum ne-mêheock akawheraaw.
attum ne-mêheock akawheraaw
dog 1SG-hand bite-3SG.3SG
"The dog bit my hand."
Mat-ne-nummêchamen-wi matchcôat.
mat-ne-nummêchamen-wi matchcôat
NEG-1SG-see-NEG blanket
"I don't see the blanket."
Peyagh-sh yôho!
peyagh-sh yôho
come-IMP here
"Come here!"
Ne-noughts winger ahone-mehkenanahum yehawkan-ing keheightaaw.
ne-noughts winger ahone-mehkenanahum yehawkan-ing keheightaaw
1SG-father good god-box house-LOC build-3SG
"My father built a good church (god-box) in the village."
One of the few complete sentences recorded by John Smith, with analysis:
Kekaten Pokahontas patiaquagh niugh tanks manotyens neer mowchick rawrenock audowgh.
kekaten Pokahontas patiaquagh niugh tanks manotyens neer mowchick rawrenock audowgh
bid Pocahontas bring-IMP two little basket here many bead give-1SG.3SG
"Bid Pocahontas bring hither two little baskets, and I will give her white beads to make her a chain."
Use this tool to practice building simple sentences in Virginia Algonquian. Select elements to combine into a sentence.