Tell -ndutǫ-
The often-used verb root -ndutǫ- ‘tell’ regularly takes the semi-reflexive voice and has a subject (the teller) and an object (the one being told).
ahatęndutǫh He told her.
[ah-hah-ten-doo-tonh]
a- factual
-h- masculine singular agent + feminine-zoic singular patient – he to her
-atę- semi-reflexive voice
-ndutǫ– verb root – tell
-h punctual aspect
Typically identification of the subject comes before the verb and of the one being told after the verb.
nd anariskwa ahutęndutǫdihaˀ de tsamęhuhiˀ
the wolf he went to tell him the eagle
The wolf went to tell the eagle.
ahutęndutǫdihaˀ He went to tell him.
[ah-hoo-ten-doo-ton-dee-hah-ah]
a- factual
-hu- masculine singular agent + masculine singular patient – he – him
-tę- semi-reflexive voice
-ndutǫ- verb root – tell
-di dative root suffix
-h- dislocative root suffix
-aˀ punctual aspect
aˀutęndutǫh d’ uhšutaˀ She told her grandmother.
she told her who she is grandparent to her
aˀutęndutǫh She told her.
aˀ- factual
-u- feminine-zoic singular agent + feminine-zoic singular patient – she – her
-tę- semi-reflexive voice
-ndutǫ- verb root – tell
-h punctual aspect
However, when there is a narrator talking about someone telling someone, and just mentions the teller, then the subject comes after the verb.
ežatęndutǫndihs de žatęnǫrǫˀ Your uncle will tell you
he will tell you who he is uncle to you
ežatęndutǫndihs He will tell you
[eh-zhah-ten-doo-ton-deehs]
e- future
-ž- masculine singular agent + 2nd person singular patient – he – you
-atę- semi-reflexive voice
-ndutǫ- verb root – tell
-ndi- inchoative root suffix
-hs dative root suffix + punctual aspect
With the imperative it takes forms such as the following:
satęndutǫndah Go tell it!
[sah-ten-doo-ton-dah]
s- imperative + 2nd person singular agent – you
-atę- semi-reflexive voice
-ndutǫ- verb root – tell
-d- dislocative root suffix
-ah imperative aspect
hešatęndutǫh Tell him!
[heh-shah-ten-doo-tonh]
heš- imperative + 2nd person singular agent + masculine singular patient – you – him
-atę- semi-reflexive voice
-ndutǫ- verb root – tell
-h imperative aspect