Miluk grammar notes - Part 5

5. Intransitive verbs


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5.1. Root intransitives

The number of intransitive roots which can appear without any suffix is quite limited in the Miluk corpus. Examples inlcude: sλēq̓ "bathe", səlt̓ "go out", ˀelqs "be afraid", k̓um (/k̓wəm/) "die", ɫa "go", ġāi "go upriver". Some correspond to adjectives in English: ˀeq "dead", ƛ̓īn "straight".

5.2. Reduplicated intransitives without affix

A few intransitive verbs carry no affix, but are formed with intensive reduplication of the root.


mičminč̓ "ask"
hithīt̓ "come to shore"
lixʸlīxʸ "move"
hʷəthʷəld "jump, fly"
hʷuthʷīt "run"
<  √mənč̓
<  √həyt̓
<  √ləyx
<  √hʷəld
<  √hʷəyd
+ intensive reduplication
+ intensive reduplication
+ intensive reduplication
+ intensive reduplication
+ intensive reduplication


These reduplicated root intransitives express continious or repeated action.

5.3. The infix -ē-

The infix ‑ē‑ (often shortened to ‑e‑) immediately precedes the final root consonant. Only a few verbs directly take this infix without any further affixaxtion. Note the this infix can be subject to A‑harmonization.


il:ēq "rain"
helēq "climb"
q̓alau "get injured"
<  √yəlġ
<  √helq
<  √q̓aləw
+ ‑ē‑
+ ‑ē‑
+ ‑ē‑


More commonly, the infix ‑ē‑ appears in combination with other affixes, as will be seen in the following paragraphs.

5.4. The suffix -e

5.5. The intransitive suffix -aˀ

The intransitive suffix -aˀ appears with a few intransitive verbs directly attached to the root:


λūġʷa "sit"
kˀal:a "call out"
xləm:a "enter"
qʷɫīya "camp"
<  √λūġʷ
<  √kˀel
<  √xləm
<  √qʷɫəy
+ ‑aˀ
+ ‑aˀ
+ ‑aˀ
+ ‑aˀ



5.6. The suffix -u

5.7. The suffix -i

A number of basic intransitive verbs takes the suffix -i.


hāt̓i "sing"
hēwi "grow"
wəsi "go home"
kˀel:i "call out/halloo"
<  √hāt̓
<  √hēw
<  √wəs
<  √kˀel
+ ‑i
+ ‑i
+ ‑i
+ ‑i


Doty (2012) describes the function of this suffix as "imperfective". Since in its most basic occurrences, the use of -i is lexically determined, it can at best be considered to be associated with aktionsart, i.e. lexical aspect.

With a few verbs, the suffix -i cooccurs with the infix ‑ē‑.


q̓ʷiyēdī "fall asleep"
q̓ewēsi "blow (wind)"
<  √q̓ʷəyd
<  √q̓ews
+ ‑ē‑
+ ‑ē‑
+ ‑i
+ ‑i


In conjunction with intensive reduplication, the suffix -i derives verbs that indicate a repeated or ongoing action/state.


ˀeqˀelqsi "be afraid"
milm̓il:i "swim"
<  √ˀelqs
<  √məl
+ intensive reduplication
+ intensive reduplication
+ ‑i (cf. ˀelqs)
+ ‑i (cf. mil:tim)




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