wussese
Narragansett
Etymology
Equivalent to osh (“father”) + -ese (diminutive suffix). Compare Massachusett wussisses.[1]
Noun
wússese
- uncle
Declension
Declension of wussese (animate, 2 forms attested)
| singular | plural | locative | |
|---|---|---|---|
| unpossessed | *-sese | *-sese-og (-ock, -uck, -aug) | *-sese-ick (-uck, -eck, -eg, -it, -ut) |
| possessed forms | |||
| first-person (my) | nissesè | *nsese-og (-ock, -uck, -aug) | *nsese-ick (-uck, -eck, -eg, -it, -ut) |
| second-person (your) | *ksese | *ksese-og (-ock, -uck, -aug) | *ksese-ick (-uck, -eck, -eg, -it, -ut) |
| third-person (his, her) | wússese | *wsese-og (-ock, -uck, -aug) | *wsese-ick (-uck, -eck, -eg, -it, -ut) |
References
- James Hammond Trumbull (1903) Natick Dictionary, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, OCLC 1038122077, pages 207, 338
Further reading
- Roger Williams (1643) A Key into the Language of America, London: Gregory Dexter, OCLC 41412195, page 28
- F. O'Brien & J. Jennings (2001) Introduction to the Narragansett Language, Newport: Aquidneck Indian Council, LCCN 2001116679, page 87