54 SYNTAX. 



§ 156. The bringing of two words together in the Dakota language answers all 

 the purposes of such a copula as our substantive verb ; as, Wakaqtaqka wa^te, {God 

 good) God is good ; wi kiq kata, {sun the hoi) the sun is hot ; de miye, {this I) this 

 is I ; hena iqyaq, {those stones) those are stones ; Danikota {Dakota-thou) thou art a 

 Dakota. 



§ 157. From these examples it appears that there is no real necessity for such a 

 connecting link between words ; and accordingly we do not find any verb in the 

 Dakota language which simply predicates being. The Dakotas cannot say 

 abstractly, I am, thou art, he is ; but they can express all the modes and places of 

 existence. 



PARTICIPLES. 



Active. 



§ 158. 1. Active participles follow the nouns and precede the verbs with which 

 they are used; as, mazakaq hduha yahi, {gun having thou-come) thou hast come 

 having thy gun. 



2. The objective pronouns are used with and governed by active participles, in 

 the same way as by verbs ; as, mayuha yukaqpi, {me-haviiig they-remain) they still 

 retain me ; niyuha yapi kta, {thee-having they-go will) they will take thee along. 



3. Active participles are used to denote prolonged or continued action; as, 

 kiksuya ui), he is remembering ; Wakaqtaqka dekiya uq, he is in the habit of praying 

 to God ; ialiaq iduqhaq, whilst he was speaking. 



4. A few participles are used with the verbs from which they are derived ; as, 

 manihaq mani {walking walks) that is, he walks and does not ride; naiiqhaq na^iq, 

 {standing he stands) he gets up and stands. 



5. Two verbs together may be used as participles without a conjunction ; as, 

 6eya patu^ ina^ii), {weeping stooping stands) he stands stooping and weeping. 



Passive. 



§ 159. 1. A verb used as a passive participle follows the noun to which it 

 relates ; as, taliir)6a kiq opi, the deer is shot. 



2. Passive participles are used to make what may be called the passive form of 

 the verb ; as, ktepi, killed, niktepi kta, thou wilt be killed. 



3. They are sometimes used independently as nouns ; as, ktepi kiq, the slain. 



CHAPTER III. 



NOUNS. 

 Position of Nouns. 



§ 160. The place of the noun, whether subject or object, is before the verb ; as, 

 wamnaheza idaga, corn grows ; mini wa6iq, {water I-want) I want water. 



Occasionally the subject comes after the verb ; as, eya Wakaqtaijka, said Ood. 



