CHICHIMEC

Facts
Sources of the data
Orthography
Verbal inflection
Inflectional classes by affixation
Stem alternation patterns
Tone inflection

Facts

Chichimec or Chichimeca-Jonaz (known as ʔuząʔ by its speakers) is a Pamean language of the Oto-Pamean branch of Oto-Manguean. The language is spoken in the community of Misión de Chichimecas in the state of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, by under 1,000 people.

Sources of the data

Angulo, Jaime de. 1933. The Chichimeco Language, International Journal of American Linguistics 7: 152-194.

Palancar, Enrique L. and Heriberto Avelino. Forthcoming. Inflectional complexity and verb classes in Chichimec, in Enrique L. Palancar, Matthew Baerman and Timothy Feist (eds.), Inflectional complexity: New lights from the Oto-Manguean languages of Mexico. Available online.

Orthography

Tone

Chichimec has two tones: Low, marked with 1 or left unmarked, and High, marked with 2 or with an acute accent.

Verbal inflection

Verbs in Chichimec inflect for at least seven TAM values and for the negative (aspectually neutral), together with person of the subject, by means of prefixes. The TAM values include a present (or incompletive), three past tenses (anterior past, recent past and immediate past), two irrealis moods (future and potential) and a mood called ‘contemporaneous’ that we prefer to call ‘sequential’, which is used in linked clauses in clause combining constructions. Examples with the verb -nú ‘see’ are presented below.

	PRS	ANT.PST	REC.PST	IMM.PST	FUT	POT	SEQ	NEG
1SG	e-nú	tu-nú	ku-nú	u-nú	ga-nú	nu-nú	ra-nú	su-nú
2SG	ki-nú	ki-nú	ki-nú	i-nú	ki-nú	mi-nú	gi-nú	si-nú
3SG	e-nú	u-nú	ku-nú	zu-nú	ga-nú	mu-nú	ru-nú	su-nú

Marking of number of person (dual and plural) is done by means of number suffixes, except for the 3rd person which often requires a special stem. Some verbs have distinct prefixes for the 1st plural, and some of them also for the 1st dual. When this happens, it is indicated in the database.

1DU.EXCL	e-nú-m^p
1DU.INCL	e-nú-s
2DU	ki-nú-s
3DU	e-nú-s
1PL.EXCL	e-nú-hų́
1PL.INCL	e-nú-n
2PL	ki-nú-n
3PL	e-nhú

Inflectional classes by affixation

Verbs can be said to fall into at least seven different classes attending to the prefix series they select. The verb -nú ‘see’ belongs to Class I. The other six paradigms are illustrated below.

Class II: -tsá 'do'

	PRS	ANT.PST	REC.PST	IMM.PST	FUT	POT	SEQ	NEG
1SG	tu-tsá	tu-tsá	gu-tsá	u-tsá	ku-tsá	nu-tsá	ra-tsá	su-tsá
2SG	su-tcá	ki-tcá	ki-tcá	i-tcá	ki-tcá	mi-tcá	gi-tcá	si-tcá
3SG	u-tsá	u-tsá	ga-tsá	zu-tsá	ku-tsá	mu-tsá	ru-tsá	su-tsá
3PL	u-tshá	u-tshá	ga-tshá	zu-tshá	ku-tshá	mi-tshá	ru-tshá	su-tshá

Class III: -mén 'like, love'

test	PRS	ANT.PST	REC.PST	IMM.PST	FUT	POT	SEQ	NEG
1SG	tu-mén	tu-mén	ku-mén	u-mén	gu-mén	nu-mén	ra-mén	su-mén
2SG	su-mén	su-mén	ki-mén	i-mén	ki-mén	mi-mén	gi-mén	si-mén
3SG	u-mén	u-mén	ku-mén	zu-mén	ga-mén	mu-mén	ru-mén	su-mén
3PL	e-mén	e-mén	ku-mbén	zu-mbén	ga-mbén	mi-mén	ru-mbén	su-mbén

Class IV: -ngw^é 'strike'

	PRS	ANT.PST	REC.PST	IMM.PST	FUT	POT	SEQ	NEG
1SG	tu-ngw^é	tu-ngw^é	ku-ngw^é	u-ngw^é	ga-ngw^é	mu-ngw^é	ra-ngw^é	su-ngw^é
2SG	ka-ngw^é	ka-ngw^é	e-ngw^é	i-ngw^é	ka-ngw^é	ma-ngw^é	ga-ngw^é	sa-ngw^é
3SG	u-m^é	u-m^é	ku-m^é	zu-m^é	ga-m^é	ma-m^é	ru-m^é	su-m^é
3PL	u-mb^é	u-mb^é	ku-mb^é	zu-mb^é	ga-mb^é	ma-mb^é	ru-mb^é	su-mb^é

Class V: -ndų 'go'

	PRS	ANT.PST	REC.PST	IMM.PST	FUT	POT	SEQ	NEG
1SG	é-ndü	tá-ndü	ká-ndü	ká-ndü	tá-ndü	má-ndü	ná-ndü	sá-ndü
2SG	kí-ndü	kí-ndü	kí-ndü	kí-ndü	kí-ndü	mí-ndü	mí-ndü	sí-ndü
3SG	é-ndü	ú-ndü	kú-ndü	kú-ndü	gá-ndü	má-ndü	rá-ndü	sí-ndü
1DU.INCL	é-ndü-s	tí-ndü-s	kí-ndü-s	kí-ndü-s	tí-ndü-s	má-ndü-s	ná-ndü-s	sá-ndü-s
1PL.INCL	ú-ndür-ín	tí-ndür-ín	kí-ndür-ín	kí-ndür-ín	gú-ndür-ín	mú-ndür-ín	nú-ndür-ín	sú-ndür-ín
3PL	é-ndür	ú-ndür	kú-ndür	kú-ndür	gá-ndür	má-ndür	rá-ndür	sí-ndür

Class VI: -ngw^é 'be, sit'

	PRS	ANT.PST	REC.PST	IMM.PST	FUT	POT	SEQ	NEG
1SG	é-m^e	ta-ngw^é	na-ngw^é	na-ngw^é	ta-ngw^é	sa-ngw^é	sa-ngw^é	sí-ngw^e
2SG	kí-m^e	sa-ngw^é	za-ngw^é	za-ngw^é	sa-ngw^é	sa-ngw^é	sa-ngw^é	sí-ngw^e
3SG	é-m^e	ta-ngw^é	na-ngw^é	na-ngw^é	ta-ngw^é	sa-ngw^é	sa-ngw^é	sí-ngw^e
1DU.INCL	é-m^e-s	ti-ngw^é-s	na-ngw^é	na-ngw^é	ti-ngw^é-s	si-ngw^é	si-ngw^é	sí-ngwe-g-ós
1PL.INCL	u-g^á-n	ti-k^á-n	si-k^á-n	si-k^á-n	gi-k^á-n	ni-k^á-n	ni-k^á-n	su-ngá-n
3PL	e-gą́	ta-ką́	na-ką́	na-ką́	ta-ką́	sa-ką́	sa-ką́	si-ngan

Class VII: -nú 'see oneself' (mainly reflexive verbs and verbs with middle voice semantics)

	PRS	ANT.PST	REC.PST	IMM.PST	FUT	POT	SEQ	NEG
1SG	ti-nú	ta-nú	sa-nú	i-nú	ta-nú	na-nú	na-nú	si-nú
2SG	si-nú	sa-nú	sa-nú	i-nú	sa-nú	za-nú	za-nú	si-nú
3SG	i-nú	ta-nú	sa-nú	i-nú	ta-nú	na-nú	na-nú	si-nú
1DU.INCL	ti-nú-s	ti-nú-s	si-nú-s	i-nú-s	ti-nú-s	ni-nú-s	ni-nú-s	si-nú-s
1PL.INCL	ti-nú-n	ti-nú-n	si-nú-n	i-nú-n	ti-nú-n	ni-nú-n	ni-nú-n	si-nú-n
3PL	i-nhú	ta-nhú	sa-nhú	i-nhú	ta-nhú	na-nhú	na-nhú	si-nhú

Stem alternation patterns

Verbs in Chichimec display complex stem alternation patterns. Palancar and Avelino (forthcoming) propose at least 14 different patterns. All the forms are given in the database. By way of illustration, we present here the seven most representative patterns.

	Stem pattern 1
	1	2	3SG/DU	3PL
PRS	A	A	A	A
IMM.PST	A	A	A	A
REC.PST	A	A	A	A
ANT.PST	A	A	A	A
FUT	A	A	A	A
POT	A	A	A	A
SEQ	A	A	A	A
	‘laugh’
PRS	tér	tér	tér	tér
IMM.PST	tér	tér	tér	tér
REC.PST	tér	tér	tér	tér
ANT.PST	tér	tér	tér	tér
FUT	tér	tér	tér	tér
POT	tér	tér	tér	tér
SEQ	tér	tér	tér	tér

Stem pattern 2
1	2	3SG/DU	3PL
A	A	A	B
A	A	A	B
A	A	A	B
A	A	A	B
A	A	A	B
A	A	A	B
A	A	A	B
‘see’
nú	nú	nú	nhú
nú	nú	nú	nhú
nú	nú	nú	nhú
nú	nú	nú	nhú
nú	nú	nú	nhú
nú	nú	nú	nhú
nú	nú	nú	nhú

Stem pattern 3
1	2	3SG/DU	3PL
A	A	C	B
A	A	C	B
A	A	C	B
A	A	C	B
A	A	C	B
A	A	C	B
A	A	C	B
‘heat’
pan	pan	mban	phan
pan	pan	mban	phan
pan	pan	mban	phan
pan	pan	mban	phan
pan	pan	mban	phan
pan	pan	mban	phan
pan	pan	mban	phan

	Stem pattern 4
	1	2	3SG/DU	3PL
PRS	A	D	A	B
IMM.PST	A	D	A	B
REC.PST	A	D	A	B
ANT.PST	A	D	A	B
FUT	A	D	A	B
POT	A	D	A	B
SEQ	A	D	A	B
‘do’
PRS	tsá	tcá	tsá	tshá
IMM.PST	tsá	tcá	tsá	tshá
REC.PST	tsá	tcá	tsá	tshá
ANT.PST	tsá	tcá	tsá	tshá
FUT	tsá	tcá	tsá	tshá
POT	tsá	tcá	tsá	tshá
SEQ	tsá	tcá	tsá	tshá

Stem pattern 5
1	2	3SG/DU	3PL
A	A	A	B
A	A	C	B
E	A	C	B
A	A	C	B
A	A	C	B
A	A	A	B
A	A	A	B
‘learn’
pen	pen	pen	phen
pen	pen	ven	phen
mben	pen	ven	phen
pen	pen	ven	phen
pen	pen	ven	phen
pen	pen	pen	phen
pen	pen	pen	phen

Stem pattern 6
1	2	3SG/DU	3PL
A	A	A	B
A	D	A	B
A	D	C	B
A	D	C	B
A	D	C	B
A	D	A	B
A	D	A	B
‘want’
՚i	՚i	՚i	r՚í
՚i	tí	՚i	r՚í
՚i	tí	ndí	r՚í
՚i	tí	ndí	r՚í
՚i	tí	ndí	r՚í
՚í	tí	՚í	r՚í
՚i	tí	՚i	r՚í

	Stem pattern 7
	1	2	3SG/DU	3PL
PRS	A	A	A	A
IMM.PST	D	D	D	A
REC.PST	E	D	C	A
ANT.PST	A	D	C	B
FUT	A	D	C	B
POT	D	D	D	A
SEQ	A	D	A	A
	‘narrate’
PRS	pín	pín	pín	pín
IMM.PST	ngwín	ngwín	ngwín	pín
REC.PST	mbín	ngwín	mín	pín
ANT.PST	pín	ngwín	mín	mbín
FUT	pín	ngwín	mín	mbín
POT	ngwín	ngwín	ngwín	pín
SEQ	pín	ngwín	pín	pín

Tone inflection

Tone is a primarily a lexical phenomenon in Chichimec. Affixes normally receive tone by means of a prosodic rule affecting the word, by virtue of which they receive the opposite tone to that of the stem. In some cases, they appear to receive a different tone (although this could reflect a typo in the source data).

However, in some verbs (indicated in the database) tone plays a role in the inflection of a verb. The distribution of inflectional tone is lexical. There are many such combinations. Inflectional tone, when found, mainly falls on the stem. This can be seen by comparing the paradigms of tsá ‘hurt’ and mę́ ‘defend’.

	Stem pattern
	1	2	3SG/DU	3PL
PRS	A	D	A	B
ANT.PST	A	D	C	B
FUT	A	D	C	B
REC.PST	A	D	C	B
IMM.PST	A	D	A	B
POT	A	D	A	B
SEQ	A	D	A	B

Tone pattern
1	2	3SG/DU	3PL
L	L	L	L
H	L	H	H
H	L	L	H
L	L	L	L
H	L	H	H
L	L	L	L
H	L	H	H

Resulting form
1	2	3SG/DU	3PL
-tsa	-tca	-tsa	-tsha
-tsá	-tca	-zá	-tshá
-tsá	-tca	-za	-tshá
-tsa	-tca	-za	-tsha
-tsá	-tca	-tsá	-tshá
-tsa	-tca	-tsa	-tsha
-tsá	-tca	-tsá	-tshá

	Stem pattern
	1	2	3SG/DU	3PL
PRS	A	A	A	B
ANT.PST	A	A	A	B
FUT	A	A	A	B
REC.PST	A	A	A	B
IMM.PST	A	A	A	B
POT	A	A	A	B
SEQ	A	A	A	B

Tone pattern
1	2	3SG/DU	3PL
H	H	H	H
H	L	H	H
H	L	H	H
H	L	H	H
H	L	H	H
L	L	L	H
H	L	H	H

Resulting form
1	2	3SG/DU	3PL
-mę́	-mę́	-mę́	-mhę́
-mę́	-mę	-mę́	-mhę́
-mę́	-mę	-mę́	-mhę́
-mę́	-mę	-mę́	-mhę́
-mę́	-mę	-mę́	-mhę́
-mę	-mę	-mę	-mhę́
-mę́	-mę	-mę́	-mhę́

The two verbs have a lexical High tone. The 2nd person receives Low tone, except in the PRS tense of the verb mę́ ‘defend’. As for tense/aspect, tsá ‘hurt’ receives Low tone in the present, recent past and potential in all persons, and in the 3rd person SG/DU of the future. In contrast, mę́ ‘defend’ only selects Low tone for the potential, but it does not reach the 3rd person plural. Patterns like these are complex. Tone has been given in the database to aid future analysis of the data.