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Most Mohawk time words are built up from roots plus verb prefixes and suffixes. One or two are “particles”, meaning they cannot be analyzed into smaller parts. Generally speaking, by adding a certain prefix (shi- for past events and en- for future events), the function of a regular noun or verb is changed into a time word. For example, yò:karahs (it-be dark-HAB) is the verb for “It is dark” or “It is night-time”. To change this to “last night”, add the Coincident prefix shi-, shiyò:karahs (COIN-it-be dark-HAB), literally, “at the same time as when it was dark”. |
| Time Word | Translation | Breakdown | Root | Isolated Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| shiyò:karahs | last night | COIN-it-be dark-HAB | -a’karah- {-s, -we’, -on} | yò:karahs |
| ó:ya shiyò:karahs | the other night | another | ||
| enyò:karahwe’ | tonight | FUT-it-be dark-PUNC | ||
| sewahsóntha | one night | ITER-it-be night-NOUN | -ahsonth- | ahsóntha |
| shiyorhèn:ke | this morning | COIN-it-be light-? (Locative? Cont+Punc?) | -rhen’- {-s, -ne’, -?} | yórhens |
| enyórhen’ne’ | tomorrow | FUT-it-be light-PUNC | ||
| thetén:re | yesterday | |||
| ó:ya shithetén:re | the other day | |||
| sewenhní:sera | one day | ITER-it-be a day-NOUN | -enhniser- | enhní:sera |
| wenhniserá:te | today | it-day-be there-HAB | -t- {-e, -e’, -?} | |
| ken wenhniserá:te | today | this | ||
| nón:wa wenhniserá:te | today | now | ||
| sewén:te’ | one week | ITER-it-be daylight/feast day-PUNC | -ent- {-e, -e’, -?} | wén:te |
| shisewén:te’ | last week | COIN-ITER-it-be daylight/feast day-PUNC | ||
| sewén:te’ kénha | last week | former, past | ||
| sewén:te’ yotohétston | last week | it-REFL-pass-STAT | -ohetst- {-ha, -e’, -on} | kohétstha |
| ó:ya shisewén:te’ | the other week | |||
| ensewén:te’ | next week | FUT-ITER-it-be daylight/feast day-PUNC | ||
| ó:ya ensewén:te’ | in a couple of weeks | |||
| sewenhnì:ta | one month | ITER-it-be a month/moon-NOUN | -enhni’t- | |
| shisewenhnì:ta | last month | COIN-ITER-it-be a month/moon-NOUN | ||
| sewenhnì:ta kénha | last month | |||
| sewenhnì:ta yotohétston | last month | |||
| ó:ya shisewenhnì:ta | the other month | |||
| ensewenhnì:ta | next month | FUT-ITER-it-be a month/moon-NOUN | ||
| ó:ya ensewenhnì:ta | in a couple of months | |||
| tsyóhsera | one year | ITER-it-be a winter-NOUN | -ohser- | óhsera |
| tsyóhsera kénha | last year | |||
| tsyóhsera yotohétston | last year | |||
| ó:ya shitsyóhsera | ||||
| entsyóhsera | next year | FUT-ITER-it-be a winter-NOUN | ||
| ó:ya entsyóhsera | in a couple of years |