Biloxi Language - Grammar - Morphology - Derivation - Instrumental Prefixes

Instrumental Prefixes

Instrumentals serve to mark how the event was carried out. They immediately precede the root.

Biloxi instrumentals
Prefix Meaning Examples
da- 'with the mouth or teeth'
dasi 'he (turkey' took it with his mouth'
dauxitu1 'they bite it off'
du- 'with the hand(s), claws, etc.'
iduwe 'you untie it'
kiduptasi ye 'he caused it to become flat for him'
duk(u)- 'by hitting or punching'
dukxoxoki '(they) knocked it to pieces'
adukuxke 'he peels vegetables'
na- 'with the foot'
naxte 'he kicked it'
naksedi 'he broke (a stick) with his foot'
pa- 'by pushing'
paya 'she was plowing'
pawehi 'he knocked them'
pu2 'pushing or punching'
pucpi 'he failed in pushing or punching' (synonymous with dukucpi)
di2 'by rubbing or pressing between the hands'
diputwi 'he made it crumble by pressing it between his hands'
kixkidica 'he washes himself'
  1. Einaudi speculates that V1V2 is not removed here because of possible ambiguity.
  2. Only traces of these prefixes remain.

Read more about this topic:  Biloxi Language, Grammar, Morphology, Derivation

Famous quotes containing the word instrumental:

    “America owes most of its social prejudices to the exaggerated religious opinions of the different sects which were so instrumental in establishing the colonies.”
    —James Fenimore Cooper (1789–1851)