Trading, Buying and Selling
To Desire
One verb root -ndinǫ- means ‘to desire’, referring to the wishes expressed by familiar spirits and in dreams. This is the verb root that can be used to express the meanings of trading, buying and selling.
undinǫhs She desires, has dream visions.
[oon-dee-nonhs]
u- feminine-zoic singular patient – she
-ndinǫ- verb root – to desire
-hs habitual aspect
Adding the causative-instrumental -st-
There are no verbs that specifically mean ‘to buy’ or ‘to sell.’ Adding the causative-instrumental moves the verb root meaning ‘to desire’ to acting upon it by acquiring something or giving something in trade. This gets translated into ‘trade, buy or sell.’ There is some inconsistency in the Narratives, which I believe relates to difficulties with a final -st. Following what Potier has in his mid-18th century dictionary (Potier 1920:292), my interpretation of this verb involves a consistency of use of the causative-instrumental root suffix.
ahšatęndinǫhst[1] You would trade, deal, buy, sell for it.
[ah-sha-ten-dee-nohst]
a- optative
-hš- 2nd person singular agent – you
-atę- semi-reflexive voice
-ndinǫ verb root – to desire
-ht causative-instrumental root suffix + punctual aspect
satędinǫhst Trade, sell it.
[sah-ten-dee-nonhst]
s- imperative + 2nd person singular agent – you
-ate- semi-reflexive voice
-ndinǫ- verb root – to desire
-hst causative-instrumental root suffix + imperative aspect
satędinǫhst de kyutǫhskwerǫht
sell it! the cow
ahšatęndinǫhst You traded for, bought it.
[ah-shah-ten-dee-nonhst]
a- factual
-hš- 2nd person singular agent
-atę- semi-reflexive voice
-ndinǫ- verb root – to desire
-hst causative-instrumental root suffix + punctual aspect
kužuh ahšatęndinǫhst Did you trade for, buy something?
Yes-no question you traded for, bought
[1] The initial vowel -a- with the optative is longer than it is with the factual.