62 DAKOTA GRAMMAR, TEXTS, AND ETHNOGRAPHY. 
Indefinite Article. 
) 117. The indefinite article is more limited in its use than the definite, 
but so far as its use extends it follows the same rules; as, hoksiday way 
(boy a), « boy; hoksiday waste way (bey good a), a good boy. 
§ 118. Sometimes both articles are used in the same phrase, in which 
case the definite is rendered by the relative (see § 113. 3); as, wiéasta way 
waste kin he ka@a (man a good the that made), he was a good man who made 
that. 
VERBS. 
Position. 
§ 119. 1. Dakota verbs are usually placed after the nouns with which 
they are used, whether subject or object; as, hoksiday kin mani (boy the 
walks), the boy walks; wowapi way duha (book a thou-hast), thou hast a book. 
2. Verbs also are usually placed after the adjectives which quality their 
subjects or objects, and after the adverbs which qualify the verbs; as, 
Waanatay wiéasta wayapike Gin he tayyay waymdaka (Waanatan man 
eloquent the that well I-saw), I saw Waanatan the eloquent man very plainly. 
For the relative position of verbs and personal pronouns, see § 98. 
Number. 
PLURAL. 
) 120. A verb, by its form, designates the number of its subject or 
object, or both; that is to say, the verb, being the last principal word in 
the sentence, usually takes the plural ending ‘pi’ when the subject or object 
is plural in signification, 
1. (a) When the subject represents animate objects, the’ verb takes the 
plural termination; as, manipi, they walk; wiéasta kin hipi (man the came), 
the men came. 
(b) But when the subject of a verb denotes inanimate objects, the verb 
does not take a plural form for its nominitive’s sake; as, Gay topa idaga (tree 
four grows), four trees grow. 
2. (a) A verb also takes the plural termination when it has a plural 
object of the first or second persons; as, Wakayntayka ujkagapi (God us- 
made), God made us; Dakota niye Wakantanka éayteniGiyapi (Dakota you 
God you-loves), God loves you Dakotas. 
(b) When the plural object is of the third person, this plurality is 
pointed out by wiéa, them, incorporated in the verb; as, wanwiéayaka, he 
