Be Mother To
There are two verbs meaning ‘be mother to’
Be Mother to -nęhę-
This verb has only one form used.
anęhęh my mother (used to address or refer to your mother)
[ah-nenh-henh]
a- feminine-zoic singular agent + 1st person singular patient – she – me
-nęhę- verb root – be mother to
-h stative aspect
Be Mother To – nduˀmę-[1]
unduˀmęˀ She is mother to her; her mother.
[oon-doo-oo-men-en]
u- feminine-zoic singular agent + feminine-zoic singular patient – she – her
-nduˀmę- verb root – be mother to
-ˀ stative aspect
hunduˀmęh She is mother to him; his mother.
[hoon-doo-oo-menh]
hu- feminine-zoic singular agent + masculine singular patient – she – him
-nduˀmę- verb root – be mother to
-h stative aspect
saˀnduˀmędeh at your mother’s
[sah-an-doo-oo-men-deh]
sa- feminine-zoic singular agent + 2nd person singular patient – she – you
-ˀnduˀmę- verb root – be mother to + stative aspect
-de external locative noun suffix
yanduˀmęšraˀ maternity, mother (noun)
[yan-doo-oo-men-shrah-ah]
ya- feminine-zoic singular agent – she
-nduˀmę- verb root – be mother to
-šr- nominalizer
-aˀ noun suffix
unduˀmęšrawastih She is a good mother.
[oon-doo-oo-men-shrah-wah-steeh]
u- feminine-zoic singular patient – she
-nduˀmę- verb root – be mother to
-šr- nominalizer
-a- joiner vowel
-wast- verb root – be good
-ih stative aspect
With the addition of the causative-instrumental (ci) root suffix -hst- here meaning ‘make, cause’, we can talk about when mothers adopt children.
hunduˀmęˀahstih She adopted him as his mother
[hoon-doo-oo-men-en-ah-steeh]
hu- feminine-zoic singular agent + masculine singular patient – she – him
-nduˀmę- verb root – be mother to
-ˀahst- causative-instrumental root suffix
-ih stative aspect
–
[1] Traditionally this term was also used to refer to the mother’s sisters. They were not called ‘aunts’.