A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE ...

the use of mii as a veridical marker in Ojibwe reveals the attitude of the speaker toward
their proposition, that their proposition is sure thing, viewed as fact, or that there is no
doubt about the verity of their proposition, or that a serious statement is being made.
Typical translations include: it is fact, it will happen, there is no doubt that, it’s a sure
thing, for good, really, etc. For example, in negative declarative sentences, the one with
mii shows an increased intensity of truth of the proposition. I have heard my consultants
use mii in this way on numerous occasions, especially when they get stumped about a
question that was presented to them. Typical uses of mii in this manner are given below.
(64) Negative declarative sentences with mii (Mille Lacs Sessions)
a) Gaawiin nigikendanziin.
not I don’t know
‘I don’t know.’
b) Mii-sa gaawiin nigikendanziin.
VER-DM not I don’t know
‘I really don’t know. (after much thought)’
‘I have no idea. (after much thought)’
In the negative sentence above, it is the sentence accented with mii which strengthens the
verity of the proposition, i.e. really, no idea, as opposed to a bare negative proposition I
don’t know. As we will see, sa, a mystery particle itself, does not contribute this
meaning; rather, it contributes the feeling of finality, i.e. after much thought. In other
words, one of my consultants uttered the sentence accented with mii after having spent
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