Lesson 18 - More Where

Aandi eteg nimazina'igan? - Where is my book?
Aandi eteg? - Where is it?
Adoopowining ate - It is on the table.
Aandi etegin gimazina'iganan? - Where are your books?
Aandi etegin? - Where are they?
Iwedi atewan - They are over there.
Makakong imaa atewan - They are in that box.
Ogiji-makak na atewan? - Are they on top of the box?
Gaawiin biinji-makak atewan - No, they are inside the box.
Onaaganan omaa atewan - The dishes are here.
Mookomanan atewan imaa adoopowining - The knives are on that table.
Jiga'ii namadabin - Sit down near by.
Besho namadabin - Sit down near by.
Bagizon zaaga'iganing - Swim in the lake.
Namadabin aazhoganing - Sit down on the bridge.
Asiniing ningii-namadab - I sat on a stone. 
 
 

New Words:

ate - it is there; it is in a place
makak(oon) - box
ogiji-makak - on a box
biinji-makak - in a box
onaagan(an) - dish
mookoman(an) - knife
jiga'ii - near by; close to
besho - near by; close to
bagizo - he swims, he bathes
zaaga'igan(iin) - lake
aazhogan(an) - bridge
asin(iig) - stone, rock
 
 

Note.

As a rule, the locative suffix means 'in' when it is suffixed to a noun denoting a natural container, such as a house, automobile, pail, pot, box, bag, and it means 'on' when it occurs with the name of a natural supporting surface, such as a table or chair. 
If one wants to be more specific, biinji- and ogiji- can be used; indeed, ogiji- must be used if something is on top of a natural container.

Note that words of place may either precede or follow verbs. But most often they precede verbs.

Verbs used with persons and animate nouns are called animate verbs. Verbs, which are used with 'it' and inanimate nouns are called inanimate verbs. These two types of verbs also divide into two categories each, but we will discuss it later.

Ate - is an inanimate verb, used with inanimate nouns, such as mazina'igan (book), onaagan (plate), mookoman (knife), the same way as ayaa is used with animate nouns (persons, living things). Ayaa is an animate verb. Ate also changes its form, but in a quite different and much easier way, than animate verbs:

A form:

ate - it is there
There is no affix for 'it'. All inanimate verbs are translated as: 'it does something', or 'it is something'.

atewan - they are there
There is a suffix -wan for 'they'. Also could be -oon, if a verbs ends in a consonant.

B form:

ateg - it is there
There is a suffix -g for 'it'. In wh-questions the first (initial) a- changes into e-.

ategin - they are there
There is a suffix -gin for 'they'. In wh-questions the first (initial) a- changes into e-.

Asin (a stone) is an animate noun in Ojibwe! Its plural ending is -iig: asiniig (stones).
 

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Grammar Note.

Locative could mean both 'on smth' and 'in smth' if it is possible. Locative form of makak - makakong means either 'on a box' or 'in a box'. That's why for to define concrete location special particles are used.

Ate. Ate is an inanimate intransitive verb (vii), which is used with inanimate subjects. Inanimate intransitive verbs have much less forms:
 

A form:
it	ate
they	atewan
B form:
it	ateg
they	ategin

 

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