Understanding possession requires knowledge of the personal pronouns and their corresponding prefixes and suffixes. In Bodewadmimwen, body parts and relatives fall into a special class of nouns that are considered “inalienably” possessed. This means that to be grammatically correct, you cannot just have a Foot or a Mother; you have to specify whose foot or whose mother it is. Body parts and relatives are considered “Dependent” nouns.
Nkat My leg Ngyé My mother
Gkat Your leg Ggyé Your mother
Wkaten His/her leg Wgyéyen His/her mother
Nkatmenan Our leg (not yours) Ngyénan Our mother (not yours)
Gkatmenan Our leg (+you) Ggyénan Our mother (+you)
Gkatmewa Your leg (pl.) Ggyéwa Your mother (pl.)
Wkatmewa Their leg Wgyéwan Their mother
The pattern looks slightly different when the noun is plural. Remember, body parts are inanimate, while relatives are animate:
Ntogen My ears Nmeshomsek My grandfathers
Gtogen Your ears Gmeshomsek Your grandfathers
Wtognen His/her ears Wmeshomsen H/h grandfathers
Ntogmenanen Our ears (-you) Nmeshomsenanek Our grandfathers-
Gtogmenanen Our ears (+you) Gmeshomsenanek Our grandfathers+
Gtogmewan Your ears (pl.) Gmeshomsewak Your grandfathers
Wtogmewan Their ears Wmeshomsewan Their grandfathers
Here are some commonly used terms for relatives and friends. Note that some terms are only used by men, while some terms are only used by women.
My maternal aunt Noshé My nephew Negwenes
My paternal aunt Nshegwes My niece Nzhemes
My cousin Nitawes My parents Ngetsimek
My daughter Ndanes My younger sibling Nshimé
My son Ngwes My brother (men) Nnikan[1]
My grandmother N’okmes My daughter in law Ne’agnekwé
My child Nijanes My sister (women) Nidgeko
My grandchild Nosés My sister (men) Ndekwem
My uncle Nzheshé My son in law Ne’angesh
My elder brother of male Nsezé
My elder brother of female Ndewéma
My brother in law of female Nita
My brother in law of male Niji
My elder sister of male Nmesé
My sister in law of male Ninem
Family ties were of utmost importance to the old time Bodéwadmik, and relationships were very specific. Many relationships had special places of honor in society. For example, it was customary for a son-in-law to avoid speaking directly to his mother-in-law out of absolute respect for her.
Here are some commonly used body parts.
My ear Ntog My ears Ntogen
My nose Njash
My eye Nshkishek My eyes Nshkishgwen
My throat Ngotaken
My mouth Ndon
My chin Ndamken
My arm Nnek My arms Nnekén
My hand Nej/Nenji My hands Nenjin
My leg Nkat My legs Nkatén
My foot Nzet My feet Nzetén
My finger Nenjis My fingers Nenjisen
My toe Nzetés My toes Nzetésen
My shoulder Ndenmagen My shoulders Ndenmagnen
My head Nshtegwan
Top of my head Ndep
My hair Nwinsesén
My forehead Ngeték
My back Npegwen
My tooth Nibet My teeth Nibden
Alienable Possession
Objects that can be removed from a possessor are considered “Alienable.” This means that the noun in question can be given away. Nouns that fall into this category are considered “Independent” nouns. Possession of this sort is shown as follows:
Inanimate Objects:
Nkomanem My knife Nkomanen My knives
Gkomanem Your knife Gkomanen Your knives
Wkomanem His/her knife Wkomanen His/her knives
Nkomanmenan Our knife (not yours) Nkomanmenanen Our knives
Gkomanmenan Our knife (yours too) Gkomanmenanen Our knives
Gkomanmewa Your knife (pl.) Gkomanmewan Your knives
Wkomanmewa Their knife Wkomanmewan Their knives
Animate Objects:
Ngazhoyem My cat Ngazhomek My cats
Ggazhoyem Your cat Ggazhomek Your cats
Wgazhomen His/her cat Wgazhomen His/her cats
Ngazhomenan Our cat (not yours) Ngazhomenanek Our cats
Ggazhomenan Our cat (yours too) Ggazhomenanek Our cats
Ggazhomewa Your cat (pl.) Ggazhomewak Your cats
Wgazhomewan Their cat Wgazhomewan Their cats
There are other ways to show possession of this type:
Ndo komanem My knife
Nin ma ode koman This is my knife (emphatic)
Nin ndebendan ode koman I own this knife
Nin ma o nemosh That is my dog (emphatic)
Nin ndebenma o nemosh I own that dog
Gdo koman Your knife
Gin ma ode koman This is your knife (emphatic)
Gin gdebendan ode koman You own this knife
Ndo komanmenan Our knife
Ndo komanmenanen Our knives
Ninan ndebendamen ode koman We own this knife
Gdo komanmenan Our knife
Gdo komanmenanen Our knives
Ginan ndebendamen node komanen We own these knives
Some special Possessive words:
Nda’i My pet dog
Ndokyan My pet cat (can be used for other small animals)
Ndéygwam My pet horse
Proximate Obviative
Singular
Nemosh O Nemosh Ni Nemoshen
Bnéshi O Bnéshi Ni Bnéshiyen
Plural
Nemosh Gi Nemoshek Ni Nemoshen
Bnéshi Gi Bnéshiyek Ni Bnéshiyen
This does NOT mean the dog and the bird have become inanimate. What they have become is 4th Person.
Nin/Ninan/Ginan = 1st Person
Gin/Ginwa = 2nd Person
Win/Winwa = 3rd Person
Nemosh wabman ni bnéshiyen
The dog sees the bird (s)
Nemosh – 3rd Person
ni bnéshiyen – 4th person
He, pegdoshen i n(do)pkwakwetem
Ni pi je étémget i n(do)shkemotem?
Dopwenek éték i g(do)shkemotem
I yé i n(do)waboyanmenan!
I yé ni n(do)waboyanmenanen!
Hau, mnéschegén ni gchikaswenen!
Ni pi je étoyék ni gdabyanmewan?
Gégo toyék ni gdabyanmewan ibe!
Gishpen étoyék ni gdabyanmewan ibe égwan o mshenkiwnene wa je pamsét éwabdet ni gdabyanmewan ibe éwi mbyégét ni msenegasnen!
Wabek nwi shema o n(de)nemoyem.
Wabek nwi shemamen o n(de)nemomenan.
Wabek nwi shema o n’okmes wnemomen.
Wabek nwi shemak gi n(de)nemomek.
Wabek nwi shemamen gi n(de)nemomenanek.
Wabek nwi shema o ngétsimnek wnemomewan.
Ni pi je ék’kezot o gmeshomsewa wgazhomen?
Nemetsena éyéyet ni wgazhomen. Cho nde wabmasi o!
[1] Nikan is also used for “My friend.”
Neaseno 