South Sámi NLP Grammar

Finite state and Constraint Grammar based analysers, proofing tools and other resources

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Souths Saami verb morphology

Verbs

This page describes the verb morphology, one table for each Umlaut column. In each table, each form is listed for each verb type, and finally a list of tentative underlying forms for the inflectional endings.

One general remark should be made here: It looks like the verb types for even-syllable verbs are corresponding to the different Umlaut rows, with the single difference that Umlaut row 2 corresponds to verb type III, and vice versa. Except for Umlaut Column 7, there is no difference between the two rows, so in practice this has very little significance. The difference is mainly to be seen in the vocalism of the inflectional endings. To make the order of the second syllable vowels be the same as in the Umlaut table, I have swapped type II and III in the tables below. This is clearly shown in the titles.

I have also included two productive derivations that cause Umlaut.

Umlaut column 1

The Umlaut column goes like this (verb type in parenthesis):
i (I), æ (III), æ (II), ï (IV), y (V), i (VI).

Forms

Uneven

Even I

Even III

Even II

Even IV

Even V

Even VI

Underlying form of ending

Comments

Infinitive

Inf

bissiestidh

bissedh

fænkedh

bæsvodh

bïssedh

lyjhkedh

milkedh

Present tense

1Sg

bissestem

bæssam

fænkam

bæsvoem

bïssem

lyjhkem

milkem

2Sg

bissesth

bæssah

fænkah

bæsvoeh

bïssh

lyjhkh

milkh

3Sg

bisseste

bæssa

fænkoe

bysve

bæssa

lyjhkoe

milkie

1Du

bissiestien

bissien

fænkan
fænkoen

bæsvoen

bissien

lyjhkoen

milkien

2Du

bissiestidien

bisseden

fænkeden

bæsvoden

bïsseden

lyjhkeden

milkeden

3Du

bissiestægan

bissiejægan

fænkajægan

bæsvoejægan

bïssijægan

lyjhkijægan

milkijægan

1Pl

bissiestibie

bissebe

fænkebe

bæsvobe

bïssebe

lyjhkebe

milkebe

2Pl

bissiestidie

bissede

fænkede

bæsvode

bïssede

lyjhkede

milkede

3Pl

bissiestieh

bissieh

fænkah
fænkoeh

bæsvoeh

bissieh

lyjhkoeh

milkieh

Past tense

1Sg

bissiestim

bissim
bissiejim

fænkajim

bæsvoejim

bïssim

lyjhkim

milkim

2Sg

bissiestih

bissih
bissiejih

fænkajih

bæsvoejih

bïssih

lyjhkih

milkih

3Sg

bissiesti
bissesti

bissi
bissieji

fænkaji
fænkaj

bæsvoeji
bæsvoej

bïssi

lyjhki

milki

1Du

bissiestimen

bissimen
bissiejimen

fænkajimen

bæsvoejimen

bïssimen

lyjhkimen

milkimen

2Du

bissiestiden

bissiden
bissiejiden

fænkajiden

bæsvoejiden

bïssiden

lyjhkiden

milkiden

3Du

bissiestigan

bissigan
bissiejigan

fænkajigan

bæsvoejigan

bïssigan

lyjhkigan

milkigan

1Pl

bissiestimh

bissimh
bissiejimh

fænkajimh

bæsvoejimh

bïssimh

lyjhkimh

milkimh

2Pl

bissiestidh

bissidh
bissiejidh

fænkajidh

bæsvoejidh

bïssidh

lyjhkidh

milkidh

3Pl

bissiestin

bissin
betiejin

fænkajin

bæsvoejin

bïssin

lyjhkin

milkin

Imperative

2Sg

bissesth

bissieh

fænkah

bæsvoeh

bïssh

lyjhkh

milkh

2Du

bissiestidien

bisseden

fænkeden

bæsvoden

bïsseden

lyjhkeden

milkeden

2Pl

bissiestidie

bissede

fænkede

bæsvode

bïssede

lyjhkede

milkede

Infinite forms

Neg

bissesth

bissieh

fænkah

bæsvoeh

bïssh

lyjhkh

milkh

Ger

bissesteminie

bissieminie

fænkaminie

bæsvoeminie

bïsseminie

lyjhkeminie

milkeminie

Ptc

bissiestamme

bæsseme

fænkeme

bysveme

bïsseme

lyjhkeme

milkeme

VGen(?3)

bissesten

bissien

fænkan(?1)

bæsvoen

bïssen(?1)

lyjhken(?2)

milken(?2)

Derivations

Nom. ag.

bissiestæjja

bissije(?2)

fænkeje(?2)

bæsvoje

bïsseje(?2)

lyjhkeje(?2)

milkeje(?2)

Nom. act.

bissiestimmie

bisseme(?2)

fænkeme(?2)

bæsvome

bïsseme(?2)

lyjhkeme(?2)

milkeme(?2)

Rough translations of stems, Engl. (Norw.)

Transl.

steak a little (steika litt)

steak (steika)

be delayed (bli opphalde, seinka)

punish (straffa)

wash (vaska)

like, love (lika, vera glad i)

grass and x down (beita av og trampa ned)

Notes and open issues:

Umlaut column 2

(some initial remarks?)

Umlaut column 3

(some initial remarks?)

Umlaut column 4

(some initial remarks?)

Umlaut column 5

(some initial remarks?)

Umlaut column 6

(some initial remarks?)

Umlaut column 7

(some initial remarks?)