A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE ...

4.0 Conjunct order as a discourse marking device
It is well known for Ojibwe, as well as for other Algonquian languages, that there are
three major verb orders (or sets of paradigms): INDEPENDENT, CONJUNCT, and
IMPERATIVE. As their respective labels indicate, independent order verbs function as
independent clauses or sentences, conjunct order verbs (or “plain conjuncts”) 63 function
as dependent, subordinate, or embedded clauses, and the imperatives are the command
forms. Examples of these orders are given below. Note that for independent verbs,
agreement is accomplished by the utilization of both prefixes and suffixes, whereas the
conjunct and imperative orders only utilize suffixes.
(130) Ojibwe verb orders
a) gi-maajaa-m 64 (independent order → independent clauses)
2-leave-2P
‘You all are leaving.’
b) maajaa-yeg (conjunct order → dependent clauses)
leave-2P
‘When you all leave…’
c) maajaa-g (imperative order → commands)
leave-IMP.2P
‘Leave (all of you)!’
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More specifically, plain conjuncts are conjuncts which do not show INITIAL CHANGE, an ablaut process
which changes the initial vowel of plain conjunct verbs. Those which do show initial change, are referred
to as CHANGED CONJUNCTS, and may serve a variety of functions, i.e. showing completive aspect, or
forming nominalized verbs.
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For independent order AI verbs, there is no personal prefix for third person singular, e.g. maajaa ‘s/he
leaves’.
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