Mode

Position 4: Mode  (inflectional)

This position is the primary marker for perfect or imperfect mode (but it is not the only marker).

there are three morphemes in this position and indicate the structure of the perfective and imperfective

(see Structure if Imperfective and Perfective).

     ghe

     ne

     z

Modes

Part of the key to understanding the Dena'ina verb is understanding the concept of mode.

Mode is roughly analogous to the English concept of tense.  There are three modes in Dena'ina:

Imperfect:  In imperfect mode or the imperfective the action is incomplete.

Usually the imperfective is translated into English as present tense.

Technically, one would not say in Dena'ina "I walk." One would say "I am walking."

Perfect:  action complete. Perfect or perfective mode is usually translated into

English as past tense, as in 'I walked.'

Future/progressiveThe future or progressive mode is the same as the future tense in

          English.

The morphemes for mode are bound morphemes and are found in two places:

The verb stem contains variations that indicate mode (imperfect, perfect OR future/progressive),

in  prefix position 4 (see below).  Thus they are redundant.   

VERB STEM ASPECT

     Dena'ina verb stems fall into a number of general, abstract and semantic categories

each with its own set of stem morphemes for imperfect, perfect and future/progressive.

In addition each of these will vary according to whether it is an open (consonant/vowel)

or closed (consonant/vowel/consonant) type of stem.

The other characteristic of stem aspect is that prefix positions 3,4, and 5 will have certain

patterned morphemes signaling what the mode is: imperfect or perfect.

1. Momentaneous     Actions occurring at a single moment of time.

     Ø imperfective      paired with      z perfective

     z imperfective                                z perfective

     Ø imperfective                              gh perfective

     n imperfective                               n perfective

     Ø imperfective                              Ø perfective

2. Durative: Actions over a prolonged period of time.

     Ø imperfective

     gh perfective

3. Semelfactive: a single act out of a possible series.

     Ø imperfective

     z perfective*

4. Serative: discrete actions performed in a series

     Ø imperfective

     gh perfective

5. Repetitive: unanalyzable (to the Dena'ina) repeated actions (e.g. I'm dancing)

     Ø  imperfective

     ghe perfective

6. Stative: signifies the object is at rest in a particular place

     z imperfective

     gh perfective

7. Neuter: refers to adjective-like qualities such as color.

     gh imperfective

     gh perfective

8. Transitional: verbs expressing transition into a certain condition (e.g. becoming…)

     Ø imperfective

     Ø perfective

9. Progressive: motion which is continuous or non-directional

     gh perfective

     gh progressiv