The Habitual Aspect
The habitual is one of the aspects of the Wyandot language. It is used to refer to a frequent or repeated practice. It does not appear with the modals (factual, future and optative). It appears in two different contexts: the habitual by itself, and with the past aspect suffix added. The typical forms are -(a)k, -h(a) and -s.
The habitual by itself
Hustayehtak He often carries bark (male Porcupine clan name)
[hoo-stah-yeh-tahk]
hu- masculine singular patient ’he‘
-st- noun root ’bark‘
-a- noun suffix
-yeht- verb root ’to carry‘
-ak habitual aspect
Connelley 1900:110
“As the porcupine carries it in his pocket-like jaws from the top of the hemlock, where it has been feeding.”
Hažatǫh He writes often, is a writer. (male Deer clan name)
[hah-zhah-tonh]
ha- masculine singular agent ‘he’
-žatǫ- verb root, ‘to mark, write’
-h[1] habitual aspect
Teundisewas She does not delay. (female Snake clan name)
[teh-oon-dee-seh-wahs]
te- negative prefix
-u- feminine-zoic singular patient ‘she’
-ndisewa- verb root ‘to delay’
-s habitual aspect.
Utrǫyayęk She is often seen in the sky (female Large Turtle clan)
[oo-tron-yah-yenk]
u- feminine-zoic singular patient ‘she’
-t- semi-reflexive voice
-rǫy- noun root ‘sky’
-a- noun suffix
-yę- verb root ‘to see’
-k habitual aspect
atikyes They fly (frequently), are birds.
[ah-tee-kyehs]
ati- feminine-zoic plural agent ‘they (f)’
-kye- verb ‘to fly’
-s habitual aspect
Habitual Aspect Plus Past Aspect Suffix
Ǫdehšiǫnyahak She used to make sand. (Large Turtle clan name)
[on-deh-shee-on-yah-hahk]
ǫ- feminine-zoic singular patient ‘she’
-ndehš- noun root ‘sand’
-ǫy- verb root ‘to make, build’
-aha- habitual aspect
-k past
yaˀnariskwaˀ wolf [She/it used to chew bones.]
[yah-ah-nah-ree-skwah-ah]
ya- feminine-zoic singular agent, ‘she or it’[2]
-ˀn- noun root, ‘bone(s)’
-a- noun suffix
-ri- verb root, ‘to bite, suck, chew’
-s- habitual aspect
-kwaˀ past aspect suffix
yeˀetišakeˀskwaˀ I used to go look for a claw.
[yeh-eh-tee-shah-keh-eh-skwah-ah]
ye- 1st person singular agent ‘I’
-ˀet- noun root ‘claw’
-iša- verb root ‘to search for’
-ke- dislocative root suffix
-ˀs- habitual aspect
-kwaˀ past aspect suffix
With the verb root -yę- ‘to be’ this was traditionally used after the name of a person who recently died, like how the word ‘late’ is used before a name in English.
yehęh It used to be.
[yeh-henh]
ye– feminine-zoic singular agent + verb root ‘to be’
-hę– habitual aspect
-h past aspect suffix
yežaˀhaˀ yęhęh I was a child
I – child it used to be
yežaˀhaˀ I (am a) child
[yeh-zhah-ah-ha-ha]
ye- 1st person singular agent ‘I’
-žaˀh- noun root ‘child’
-aˀ noun suffix
[1] This is sometimes marked with a -k-.
[2] This is usually recorded without the initial -y-.