Steal -nęhskwa-
This is a good verb to know about when you read statements in the early colonial literature that the ‘Indians’/’Savages’ had no concept of ‘theft’ as opposed to borrowing.
hanęskwahǫh He steals many times, many things. He is a thief.
[hah-nen-skwah-honh]
ha- masculine singular agent – he
-nęskwa- verb root – steal
-hƍ- distributive root suffix
-h stative aspect
ahstęhskwaˀ d’ utsingwaraˀ You stole the gold.
you stole it the gold
ahstęhskwaˀ You (s) stole it
[ah-stenh-skwah-ah]
a- factual
-hs- 2nd person singular agent – you (s)
–[1]tęhskwa- verb root – steal
-ˀ punctual aspect
ayǫnęhskwaˀ I stole from you.
[ah-yon-nenh-skwah-ah]
a- factual
-yǫ- 1st person singular agent + 2nd person singular patient – I – you
-nęhskwa- verb root – steal
-ˀ punctual aspect
[1] When the -š- of the second person singular agent comes in contact with the -n- of this verb root , it changes the -n- to a -t-.