Level 1 PDF

1. Animate-Inanimate: Property of Words

In this lesson, you will learn the basics needed to properly classify words as animate or inanimate in the wolastoqey language. You will also learn how to ask where objects are located and explain where they are situated using words that express spatial positions.

1.1. The gender as a property of the word

n Wolastoqey, the gender of words is expressed in terms of animate and inanimate (unlike French, for example, where we talk about feminine and masculine gender).
The animate or inanimate gender is a property of words and not of the objects themselves. Thus, it is the word ‘spoon’ that is animate and not the spoon itself.
The animate or inanimate gender is assigned to nouns. Nouns that refer to people or animals are often animate. Nouns that refer to objects, ideas, or concepts can be either animate or inanimate.
The animate or inanimate gender is also assigned to verbs. This may seem surprising because verbs in French do not inherently have gender; they agree with the subject, which is feminine or masculine. In Wolastoqey, verbs are animate or inanimate, among other factors, depending on the animate or inanimate nature of their subject.

Absence of definitive rule for determining gender

There is no absolute logic that distinguishes animate or inanimate gender. The same goes for masculine and feminine gender in French; there is no logic to why a ‘fauteuil’ (armchair) is masculine and a ‘chaise’ (chair) is feminine!
There are some tricks that can help memorize gender. Although the assignment of animate or inanimate gender does not follow precise rules, trends can be identified. For example, nouns that refer to people (with a soul, a spirit), animals, or trees are usually animate, as well as objects that can contain a liquid (such as a bowl, a spoon, a bottle, or a pen).

Identifying gender

To determine if a word is animate or inanimate, the best resource is a dictionary; usually, the gender is indicated alongside entries. Currently, the only online resource that contains this information for Wolastoqey is the Peskotomuhkati-Wolastoqey Language Portal (https://pmportal.org).

Pronouns and Agreements

Pronouns used with words also change depending on animate or inanimate gender. Here’s a helpful reminder:

- Key concept -
Inanimate (I)	Nit nit keq nit nit	It is what it is
	Keq yut?	What’s that?
Animate (A)	Not not wen not not	He is who he is
	Wen wot?	Who is this?

1.2. Dialogue: question with « Where »

The animate and inanimate gender also influences sentence structures. Here are some examples:

Inanimate	Tama ote malsanikuwam ?	Where is the store?
Animate (person or animal)	Tama iyu Ahtuwen ?	Where is Anthony?
Animate (object)	Tama opu emqan ?	Where is the spoon?

The pronouns used with the words change depending on whether they are animate or inanimate.

- Key concept -
Not	Wot
Animate pronoun meaning «this one»	Animate pronoun meaning «that one»
Nit
Inanimate pronoun

Question:  Wen not ? / Who is this person, this animal? (A)
        Wen wot ? / ho is that person, that animal? (A)
        Keq nit ? / What is it? (I)
Answers:     Not not wen not not. / He is who he is. (A)
        Nit nit keq nit nit. / That’s what it is. (I)

- Key concept -
Animate	(person or animal)	iyu	Verb meaning "to be somewhere"
	(object)	opu	Verb meaning "to be somewhere"
Inanimé		ote	Verb meaning "to be somewhere"

2. Positioning

2.1. Vocabulary related to positioning

Nihkaniw	In front of
Asit	Behind
Tehsaqiw	On top of
Neqiw	Underneath
Opomew	On the side
Emehkew	Below or bottom
Qonusqiw	At the top
Milawiw	Down the street
Nulomok	Up the street
Qihiw	Near or next to
Lamiw	Inside

2.2. Dialogue examples

Question 1:  Tama iyu Piyel ? / Where is Peter? (Peter, animate, person = iyu)
Answer 1:     Piyel iyu milawiw. / Peter is down the street.
Question 2:  Tama ote pocetes ? / Where is the potato? (Potato, inanimate = ote)
Answer 2:     Pocetes ote neqiw tuwihputik. / The potato is underneath the table.
Question 3:  Tama opu emqan ? / Where is the spoon? (Spoon, animate, object = opu)
Answer 3:     Emqan opu opomew wikuwamok. / The spoon is next to the house.