1895-96.] THE BLACKFOOT LANGUAGE. 149 



In the singular number, the first and second personal pronouns are 

 used as prefixes, and arc called article pronouns. 



Nistoa being contracted lo N and Ni, and Kistoa to K and-Ki. 



In accordance with the laws of euphony, inducing harmony of sound, 

 the letter / is oftentimes inserted between the pronominal prefix or article 

 pronoun and the tense root of the verb, and sometimes before the root of 

 the verb itself, as 



Ni-t-awan-i = I say. Ni-t-an-i = I said. 



Ki-t-awan-i — Thou sayest. Ki-t-an-i = Thou saidst. 



awan-io = He says. an-io = He said. 



Sometimes the contracted form of the third personal pronoun is at- 

 tached to verbs, with the aid of a euphonic letter, as 0-t-se-kamus-io = 

 He stole. Generally, however, the third person of the verb has not any 

 article pronoun, the person being fully expressed by the inflexion of the 

 verb. 



Tlie Expression Self. 



For the expressions self and selves the particle kernk is added as a 

 suffix to the personal pronouns, as : 



Nistoakauk = Myself. 



Kistoakauk = Thyself. 



Ostoyekauk = Himself, herself, itself 

 {Exclusive) Nistunanakauk = Ourselves. 

 {Inclusive) Kistunonakauk = Ourselves. 



Kistoawakauk = Yourselves. 



Ostoyewakauk — Themselves. 



The Possessive Pronoun. 



Possessive pronouns receive their distinctive name from the idea of 

 possession being inherent in them. 



There are two classes of possessive pronouns: separable and conjunctive. 



The separable possessive pronouns arc not joined to another word, but 

 stand alone, although related to other words in the same sentence. 



In the plural number they agree with the am'matc and inanimate 

 nouns which they rc{jresent. 



