A Useful Wyandot Noun Root -riw- or -rih ‘matter’
A very useful Wyandot noun root is -riw- or -rih- ‘matter, affair’. It covers a broad-range of meaning territory: reason, customs, law, stories, words, decisions, promises, positions of responsibility and agreements.
yariwaˀ matter
[yah-ree-wah-ah]
ya- feminine-zoic singular agent ‘it’
-rih- noun root ‘matter, reason’
-aˀ noun suffix
Reason
yarihǫngyaˀ It makes the matter, is the reason why.
[yah-ree-hon-gyah-ah]
ya- feminine-zoic singular agent ‘it’
-rih- noun root ‘matter, reason’
-ǫngy- verb root ‘to make’
-ah habitual aspect
Custom, Customs
iyarihuˀtęˀ It is a matter, custom of such a nature.
[ee-yah-ree-hoo-oo-ten-en]
i- partitive ‘such’
-ya- feminine-zoic singular agent ‘it’
-rih- noun root, ‘matter, custom’
-uˀtę verb root ‘to be of such a nature’
-ˀ stative aspect
inyǫmarihuˀtęˀ Our matters, customs are such.
[een-yon-mah-ree-hoo-oo-ten-en]
iny- partitive ‘such’
-ǫma- 1st person plural patient ‘our’
-rih- noun root ‘matter, custom’
-uˀtę- verb root ‘to be of such a nature’
-ˀ stative aspect
Decision, agreement
aˀžatriwihšęˀ They two finished a matter, made a decision
[ah-ah-zhah-tree-weeh-shen-en]
aˀ factual
-ž- masculine dual agent ‘they two (masculine or mixed)’
-at- semi-reflexive voice
-riw- noun root ‘matter, decision’
-hiš- verb root ‘to finish’
-ęˀ punctual aspect
aˀžatriwihšęˀ nęh daeˀ ehutingyakaˀ
they two (m) made a decision now that they (m) will get married
They made a decision that they will get married.
ehutingyakaˀ They will get married.
[eh-hoo-tin-gyah-kah-ah]
e- future
-huti- masculine or mixed plural patient ‘they (m)’
-ngya- verb root ‘to marry’
-kaˀ punctual aspect
usažatriwahšǫgyaˀ They two (m) prepared the matter, came to an agreement
[oo-sah-zhaa-tree-wah-shon-gyah-ah]
u- factual
-s- repetitive
-a- factual
-ž- masculine dual agent ‘they (m) two’
-at- semi-reflexive voice
-riw- noun root ‘matter, agreement’
-a- noun suffix
-hšǫgy- verb root ‘to prepare’
-aˀ punctual aspect
usažatriwahšǫgyaˀ de tsamęhuhi nęhša rǫmeh
they two (m) prepared the matter the eagle and he is a human
The eagle and the man came to an agreement.
tsamęhuhi
[tsah-men-hoo-hee]
rǫmeh He is human
[ron-meh]
r- masculine singular agent ‘he’
-ǫme- verb root ‘to be human’
-h stative aspect
Fulfilling a Promise, Act on One’s Word
ešriwaeriht You will complete a matter, fulfill your promise . [eh-shree-wah-eh-reeht]
e- future
-š- 2nd person singular agent ‘you (s)’
-riw- noun root, ‘matter’
-eri- verb root ‘to complete, furnish what it is necessary’
-ht- causative root suffix + punctual aspect
ariwaeritih I completed, fulfilled my word, my promise
[ah-ree-wah-eh-ree-teeh]
a- 1st person singular patient
-riw- noun root, ‘matter’
-eri- verb root ‘to complete, furnish what is necessary’
-t- causative root suffix
-ih stative aspect
Being Angry
sahatriwahšaˀ He is very bad-mattered, angry.
[sah-hah-tree-wah-shah-ah]
s- repetitive ‘very’
-a- factual
-h- masculine singular agent ‘he’
-at- semi-reflexive voice
-riw- noun root ‘matter’
-a- noun suffix
-hš- verb root ‘to be bad’
-aˀ punctual aspect
nę yatuyęh sahatriwahšaˀ
now truly he is very bad mattered, angry
Now he is truly very angry.
yatuyęh It is true.
[yah-too-yenh]
ya- feminine-zoic singular agent
-tuyę- verb root ‘to be true’
-h stative aspect
sahatriwahšat His matter is caused to be very bad, he is very angry.
[sah-hah-tree-wah-shat]
s- repetitive ‘very’
-a- factual
-h- masculine singular agent
-at- semi-reflexive voice
-riw- noun root ‘matter’
-a- noun suffix
-hša- verb root ‘to be bad’
-t causative root suffix + punctual aspect
nęh trǫndiˀ sahatriwahšat
now more his matter is caused to be very bad, he is very angry
trǫndiˀ
[tron-dee-ee]
Now he is angrier.
Position of Authority
hutrihǫt He is attached to a matter, holds office.
[hoo-tree-hont]
hu- masculine singular patient ‘he’
-t- semi-reflexive voice
-rih- noun root, ‘matter, affair’
-ǫt verb root, ‘to attach, be attached + stative aspect
utrihont She is attached to a matter, holds office.
[oo-tree-hont]
u- feminine-zoic singular patient ‘she’
-t- semi-reflexive voice
-rih- noun root, ‘matter, affair’
-ǫt verb root, ‘to attach, be attached + stative aspect
Traditional Male Names
Hariwawayi He holds, grasps the law, the matter. (Bear clan name)[1]
[hah-ree-wah-wah-yee]
ha- masculine singular agent ‘he’
-riw- noun root, ‘matter, position of authority’
-a- noun suffix
-way– verb root, ‘to take hold’
-i stative aspect
Hariwandinyǫtak He used to suspend, hang matters, news (Striped Turtle name)
[hah-ree-wan-deen-yon-tahk]
ha- masculine singular agent ‘he’
-riw- noun root ‘matter, affair, news’
-ndinyǫt- verb root ‘to suspend, hang’
-a- habitual aspect
-k past aspect suffix
Hariwakyǫditi He is saying or doing something surprising.
[hah-ree-wah-kyon-dee-tee]
ha- masculine singular agent ‘he’
-riw- noun root ‘matter, news, affair’
-akyondit- verb root ‘to take something away’
-i stative aspect
Traditional Female Names
Utriwandet She holds an important matter, responsibility close to her
[oo-tree-wan-deht]
u- feminine-zoic singular patient
-t- semi-reflexive voice
-riw- noun root, ‘matter, affair’
-a- noun suffix
-ndet verb root, ‘to envelope’ + stative aspect
Watriwanǫnę She took care of, protected a matter in the past
wat- feminine-zoic singular agent ‘she’ + semi-reflexive voice
-riw- noun root ‘matter, affair, news’
-a- noun suffix
-nǫ- verb root ‘to take care of’ + stative aspect
-nę past aspect suffix
[1] From the time of Bishop Laval, the first bishop of New France, the Wendat called bishops by this name. In 1747 it was held by a young Wyandot boy whose mother was on the Elders Council before it was given to a new bishop (John Steckley, 2014, The eighteenth Century Wyandot: A Clan-Based Study, p.
93).