Let’s -ti and kw-
One way of expressing the imperative in Wyandot involves words that contain the meaning ‘Let’s’. There are two forms used, one for the dual ‘we two’ and one for the plural ‘more than two. Both use the inclusive form of the 1st person as it involves the listener.
A-Conjugation
With the verb root -araskwa- ‘leave’ we have:
kyaraskwaˀ Let’s you and I leave.
[kyah-rah-skwah-ah]
ky- 1st person inclusive dual agent – you and I
-araskwa- verb root meaning – leave
-ˀ imperative aspect
kwaraskwaˀ Let’s you (two or more) and I leave.
[kwah-rah-skwah-ah]
kw- 1st person inclusive plural agent – you (more than one) and I
-araskwa- verb root – leave
-ˀ imperative aspect
Consonant Conjugation
The two verb roots for ‘eat’ require the incorporation of a noun root, so you can’t just say ‘Let’s eat.” You have to say what it is that you are going to eat. If you want to eat corn, you say:
tinęhayažaˀ Let’s you and I eat corn.
[tee-nen-hah-yah-zhah]
ti- 1st person inclusive dual agent – you and I
-nęh- noun root – corn
-a- joiner vowel
-yaža- verb root – eat
-ˀ imperative aspect
kwanęhayažaˀ Let’s (the group of us) eat corn.
[kwah-nen-hah-yah-zhah-ah]
kwa- 1st person inclusive plural agent – you (more than one) and I
-nęh- noun root – corn
-a- joiner vowel
-yaža- verb root – eat
-ˀ imperative aspect
If you wanted to ask someone to dance in Wyandot, you would say the following:
tindrawaˀ Let’s you and I dance.
[teen-drah-wah-ah]
kya- 1st person inclusive dual agent – you and I
-ndrawa- verb root – dance
-ˀ imperative aspect
If you wanted to go dancing with a group of friends, you would say:
kwandrawaˀ Let’s the group of us dance.
[kwan-drah-wah-ah]
kwa- 1st person inclusive plural agent – you (more than one) and I
-ndrawa- verb root – dance
-ˀ imperative aspect
For consonant conjugation verb roots beginning with a vowel we have a slightly different dual form.
kyest Let’s you and I assemble, come together.
[kyehst]
Ky- 1st person inclusive dual agent – you and I
-est verb root – assemble + imperative aspect
E- Conjugation
eteh Let’s go (you and I)
[eh-teh]
e- translocative – there, away
-t- 1st person inclusive dual agent – we two
-e- verb root – go
-h imperative aspect