Animacy and InanimacyAnimacy and Inanimacy

The world is broken up into animate or The world is broken up into animate or inanimate in Potawatomiinanimate in Potawatomi

• Basically this means things are either alive Basically this means things are either alive or not alive.or not alive.

• So a table is not alive but a tree is alive.So a table is not alive but a tree is alive. AnimateAnimate Inanimate Inanimate nene- man taswen- cabinetnene- man taswen- cabinet kwkwéé- woman msenaksegen-picture- woman msenaksegen-picture mtek- tree mtek jiptebwen- bench mtek- tree mtek jiptebwen- bench mko-bear gokpenagen-basketmko-bear gokpenagen-basket

Spiritual things are considered animateSpiritual things are considered animate

All of these things are considered All of these things are considered alive/animate alive/animate

Pwagen- pipe Pwagen- pipe Sema- tobaccoSema- tobacco ddééwegenwegen- drum- drum emkwan- spoon used in a ceremonyemkwan- spoon used in a ceremony kno migwen- eagle featherkno migwen- eagle feather

Things in motion are also considered animateThings in motion are also considered animate

• So a car that is parked would be treated So a car that is parked would be treated as inanimate while a moving car is as inanimate while a moving car is animate. animate.

• A ball flying through the air would be A ball flying through the air would be animate but a ball sitting on the ground animate but a ball sitting on the ground would be inanimatewould be inanimate

Many things in nature our considered Many things in nature our considered animate or alive.animate or alive.

• With this concept you really understand what was With this concept you really understand what was important to our ancestors and how they saw the important to our ancestors and how they saw the earth as sacred. If a tree is treated in the same earth as sacred. If a tree is treated in the same manner as a person and likewise a grasshopper manner as a person and likewise a grasshopper treated just like a person it changes your treated just like a person it changes your perspective. Our ancestors saw the earth and all its perspective. Our ancestors saw the earth and all its animals as relations. Not better or higher on the animals as relations. Not better or higher on the food chain but equals. Often you would hear old food chain but equals. Often you would hear old people refer to my brother the bear or my sister the people refer to my brother the bear or my sister the river. river.

Animate persons in natureAnimate persons in nature

• Gises- sunGises- sun

• Dbekgises- moonDbekgises- moon

• Zibiwes- creekZibiwes- creek

• Mtek- treeMtek- tree

• Waskonedo- flowerWaskonedo- flower

• JigwJigwéék- thundersk- thunders

• Gmowen- rainGmowen- rain

Reverence for lifeReverence for life

• Whenever someone is to take something from Whenever someone is to take something from the earth it is traditional to put some tobacco the earth it is traditional to put some tobacco down. We offer a prayer and thank the spirit of down. We offer a prayer and thank the spirit of that plant or animal for giving its life so that we that plant or animal for giving its life so that we can live. Tobacco is how we traditionally pray can live. Tobacco is how we traditionally pray we put it down during a storm to ask the we put it down during a storm to ask the thunders to be gentle on us and if we cross a thunders to be gentle on us and if we cross a large body of water we would put it down. Also large body of water we would put it down. Also if you made a spiritual request of someone we if you made a spiritual request of someone we always offered tobacco first. One elder said always offered tobacco first. One elder said that tobacco proceeds all things.that tobacco proceeds all things.

So how does this effect the usage of the So how does this effect the usage of the languagelanguage

• When you pluralize a word it matters if it is When you pluralize a word it matters if it is animate or inanimate. animate or inanimate.

• Mko- bear Mkok- bearsMko- bear Mkok- bears• Dopwen-table Dopwenen- tables.Dopwen-table Dopwenen- tables.• Also when we say this or that it matters if Also when we say this or that it matters if

the this we are talking about is living or the this we are talking about is living or non-living. non-living.

• Node- these inanimate things gode-these Node- these inanimate things gode-these animate people or things.animate people or things.

Even the verb we choose to use depends on whether Even the verb we choose to use depends on whether something is animate or inanimatesomething is animate or inanimate

• Nwabma- I see him or her.Nwabma- I see him or her.

• Nwabdan- I see it.Nwabdan- I see it.

• Wawyeya- it is roundWawyeya- it is round

• Wawyewze- he/she is roundWawyewze- he/she is round

Finally it can be a stylistic device used by Finally it can be a stylistic device used by some speakerssome speakers

• For example if you are telling a story where For example if you are telling a story where there is a mirror and the mirror comes to there is a mirror and the mirror comes to life and starts talking once this happens it is life and starts talking once this happens it is now treated as animate. Also you could use now treated as animate. Also you could use it to make a point for example something in it to make a point for example something in your own life which you consider sacred your own life which you consider sacred you could treat as such or treat something you could treat as such or treat something else as not sacred if it isnt important to you else as not sacred if it isnt important to you the speaker.the speaker.