46 DAKOTA GRAMMAK [Memoirs National 



I. \ OL. A.A.11I, 



Wliile the meanings of ya-, wa-, na- (with the foot), pu- are clear, the remaining prefixes 

 vary so much in their specific meaning, that the fundamental significance is often obscure. 

 The differences between pa-, ka-, wo-, yu- appear clearly in the following examples: 



wog.mi'g.ma Hye'ya he sends it rolling by an indirect impact 

 pahlo'ka to make a hole in a skin with an awl by sustained pressure 

 kahlo'ka- — by a sudden punch 

 wohlo'ka — by throwing the awl from a distance 



kahi'ta to sweep away with sudden strokes 

 yuhi'ta to rake, i. e., to sweep off by pulling 

 pahi'ta to sweep away as by pushing along a mop 

 wohi'ia to sweep away by blowing 



Since almost all pulling has to be done by hand, yu- is often best translated "by hand'' 

 or even as a general instrumental when no specific manner of action is prominently implied. 



yuza'za to wash by rubbing, handling; — yuho'm.ni to turn like a screw; — yuc'e'ya tomakecry; — yuwa'ste 

 to make good; — yusi'ca to spoil 



ka- which implies rapidity of action may be translated very often as "by striking," sometimes 

 also as action "by the wind, current or other natural forces." 



wo- which indicates primarily impact from a distance, refers often to actions done with a 

 point, such as arrow, lance, or also with the end of an implement with a long handle. It also 

 expresses action of the wind or a current of water. 



wohta'ka to bump against from a distance; — woRpa to bring down by shooting; — woh\ta to sweep away 

 by blowing; — wozd'za to wash by a current of water, by rain 



The prefix pu- by pressure, corresponds to Ponca pi-. It is not free in Dakota. The follow- 

 ing have been found: 



'opu'tkq. to dip into liquid (see yatkq' to drink); — put'a'ka to press down with hand, t'a'ka to parch 

 (corn, etc.), naVa'ka to lock, pat'aka to stop short; — 'apu't'iza to press down on; — puspa to glue, 

 seal down, kao'spa to make a dent in something; — 'ipu'sli to crush against; — pusta'ka to bend down, 

 to sit with head bent down, sta'ka to be listless, kasta'ka to throw out jellylike substances; — 

 Hpu'stq to touch fire to something, to force a hot object against something; — puske'pa to strain, 

 filter, yuske'pa to make (liquid) run out entirely, kaske'pa to ladle out entirely; — 'i'puskica 

 to push against a wall, etc., by means of an implement, paski'ca to squeeze by pushing; puski'ca to 

 press together loose material (hay, etc.) ; — yuski'ca to wring out clothes; puski' s'e as though pressed 

 into a heap, gathered together and pressed together; — 'ipu'zila to force upon one (Santee, Riggs); — 

 kpukpa' boiled up, mixed; — 'opu'za to be infested with vermin, insects; — 'opu'gi to stuff soft mate- 

 rial into an opening; — 'opu'hli to stuff hard material into an opening (as a cork into a bottle); 

 — putq' flattened out, misshapen; — 'ipus' \ convex side of a curve 



The feeling for pu as a prefix has disappeared, as illustrated by the Santee form bopu'skica 

 to ram in, literally: by indirect impact by pressure to squeeze. 



na- by inner force, cannot appear with active subjective pronouns, because the inner force 

 never acts upon one. Its forms are analogous to those of the other instrumentals which 

 appear in certain verbs in forms corresponding to our impersonal verbs. As in this case inner 

 force is implied as subject, so are other general ideas implied as subjects in the forms to be dis- 

 cussed later (pp. 47 et seq.). Example of forms with na- are: 



nama'hom.ni I turn of my own accord (my inner force turns me) ; but nawahom.ni I turn it with the 

 foot; — 'os%' nama'g.la my braid becomes unbraided (its inner force unbraids me the braid); — 

 naslo'ka to pop off, come off suddenly; -slo'ka something that fits snugly (a ring, shoe, gar- 

 ment is off); 'isla nama' slokikte s'ele'c'eca as though my eye would come out (as in a severe head 

 ache) ; — nab.le'b.leca blossoms burst forth all over, suddenly; -b.le'ca to be shattered, broken into 

 particles; — nasle'ca to crack (a plate) with the foot; it breaks, cracks; c'ehu'pa (1) nama'slec% (3) 

 kte (3) s'e (4) maya'zq' (5) the jaw (1) it cracks on me (2) will (3) as though (4) it aches me (5) (it 

 aches me as though my jaw would crack, i. e., a toothache) ; — nahle'ca to tear with the foot; it tears, 

 mahpi'ya naMce'cehce' the sky tears veritably (i. e., a cloudburst); — nasli' a rash breaks out; 

 -sli to squeeze out viscous matter; — nap'o'pa to burst with explosive force from within, wana'- 

 p'opyapi fireworks, things they cause to explode from within; — 'ona'piga to ferment (to boil inside 

 from within), 'ona'mapiga it ferments in me, i. e., food does not agree with me; — nam.ni'ga to 



