128 



DAKOTA GRAMMAR 



[Memoirs National 

 [Vol. XXIII, 



Inseparable and separable possession are distinguished. In the former the pronoun is 

 prefixed to the noun; in the latter to t'a-. In the case of inseparable possession we have to 

 distinguish between parts of the body and terms of relationship. 



Natural objects, like land, water, animals including the dog but excepting the horse 37 cannot 

 take the possessive pronoun, because under aboriginal conditions they coidd not be exclusive 

 property of anyone. Food also is not used with possessive pronoun except in the term t'awo'te his 

 food supply, with the meaning of "his means of extending hospitality." 



mit'a'wote wqla'kikte you shall see my hospitality 38 



In Dakota the use of possessives is generally avoided. Instead of the possessive pronoun 

 verbal constructions are used which indicate the relation between subject and object (p. 86). 



sy.'kak'q' wq kit'e' a horse died to him 

 rather than — 



t'asii'ke wq t'e' his horse died 



§ 160. Inseparable Possession 



Parts of the body are not ordinarily used with possessive pronouns expressing inseparable 

 possession. Instead the possessive forms of the verb are used. When they are used with 

 possessive pronouns those parts of the body which are conceived as particularly subject to will- 

 power take in the first person the form mi-; all others take ma-. 



misi'ha my foot (Santee) 

 mic'q'te my heart 



mii' my mouth (also mai') 



mii'ha my lips 



mii'ie my facial expression (see mai'te) 



mii'log.nake my countenance 



mii'sto my arm 



mii' sta my eye 



miho' my voice (also maho') 



mit'q'c'q my body 



misi' my foot (also nasi') 



Forms in ma- are: 



mad z%tka my kidney 



maa'b.lo my region of shoulder blade 



mai'te my face (see mii'ie) 



mai'spa my elbow 



mai'skahu my ankle 



mao'yut'e my flank 



may.'ze my buttocks 



mahi'yete my shoulder 



maho' my voice (also miho') 



mawe' my blood 



mahu'hu my bone 



map'd my head from neck up 



map'a'su my nose 



map'e' top of my head 



map'e'hi my hair 



map'i' my liver 



map'i'zi my gall (yellow liver) 



mal'e'zi my stomach 



mat'u'c'uhu my ribs 



mic'e'hpi my flesh (the physical body as op- 

 posed to the spiritual) 

 mina'pe my hand 

 mind gi my spirit 

 min-dge my ear (as sense organ) 

 mic'e' my penis 



masi my foot (also misi') 



7?iasi'c'a. my thigh 



masu'su my testicles 



masa'He my little finger 



masa'ke my nail 



masu'pe my intestines 



mac'a'gu my lungs 



mac'q'k'ahu my spinal column 



mac'q'kpe my knee 



mac'e'hupa my jaw 



mac'e'ca my leg 



mac'e'kpa my navel 



mac'o'nic'a my flesh under the skin 



mana'p'ahitka my thumb 



mana' pokaske my wrist 



mani'ge my stomach 



mak'q my vein, artery, sinew, ligament 



masq my vulva 



87 At present the cattle on large ranches arc considered as property and not as food. Therefore they are expressed as separable property by the 

 prefix t'a. 



38 In forms like Valo' supply of meat, the t'a is not the possessive but means ruminant. 



