Cherokee Phoenix

October 25, 1829

Published December, 3, 1829

Page 2 Column 5b

October 25, 1829

Mr. Editor- With this I forward a continuation of the Cherokee verb (Cherokee symbols). I have not inserted the two forms of the third person singular, but if you think it better to add the other you will please to do so.

I am Dear sir, your obedient servant,

(Cherokee symbols) Ga-wo-hee-lo-skee.

Active voice

of the Cherokee verb (Cherokee symbols) I speak,

[Continued]

Subjective Mood

Primary present tense

singular

Person

1. (Cherokee symbols) if I speak

2. ' ' if thou speakest

3. ' ' if he speaks.

Dual

1 ' 2. ' ' if thou ' I speak

1 ' 3 ' ' if he and I speak

2. ' ' if you (2) speak

Plural

1 ' 2 ' ' if you (all) ' I speak

1 ' 3 ' ' if they and I speak

2. ' ' if you (all) speak

3. ' ' if they speak

N. B. the 3d person Dual is in all cases the same as the plural.

Primary perfect tense

singular

1. (Cherokee symbols) if I have spoken*

2. ' ' if thou hast 'c.

3. ' ' if he has 'c.

Dual

1 ' 2 ' ' if thou and I have spoken

1 ' 3. ' ' if he ' I have 'c.

2. ' ' if you (2) have 'c.

Plural

1 ' 2 ' ' if you (all) ' I have spoken

1 ' 3 ' ' if you ' I have 'c.

2 2 ' ' if you (all) have 'c.

3. ' ' if they have 'c.

Primary approximate tense

Singular

1. (Cherokee symbols) if I am about to speak

2. ' ' if thou art 'c.

3. ' ' if he is 'c.

Dual

1 ' 2.(Cherokee symbols) if thou ' I are about to speak

1 ' 3 ' ' if he ' I are 'c.

2 ' ' if you (2) are 'c.

Plural

1 ' 2 ' ' if you (all) ' I are about to speak

1 ' 3 ' ' if they ' I are 'c.

2 ' ' if you (all) are 'c.

3. ' ' if they are 'c.

____*More properly, if I should speak. Ed.

Imperative mood

Present tense.

Singular

Person

1. (Cherokee symbols) let me speak

2. ' ' speak thou

3. ' ' let him speak

Dual

1 ' 2 ' ' let us:thee ' me speak

1 ' 3 ' ' let us:him ' me speak

2 ' ' speak ye (2) speak

Plural

1 ' 2 ' ' let us: you and me speak

1 ' 3 ' ' let us: them ' me speak

2 ' ' speak ye (all) speak

3 ' ' let them speak.

Future tense

singular

1. (Cherokee symbols) let me speak, at a future time

2. ' ' speak thou

3. ' ' let him speak 'c.

Dual

1 ' 2 ' ' let us: thee and me speak 'c.

1 ' 3 ' ' let us: him and me speak 'c.

2 ' ' speak ye (2) 'x.

Plural

1 ' 2 ' ' let us: you and me speak

1 ' 3 ' ' let us: them and me speak 'c.

2 ' ' speak ye (all) 'c.

3. ' ' let them speak. 'c.

First form

singular

Person

1. (Cherokee symbols) I can speak

2. ' ' thou canst speak

3. ' ' he can speak

Dual

1 ' 2 ' ' thou ' I can speak

1 ' 3 ' ' he ' I can speak

2. ' ' you (2) can speak

Plural

1 ' 2 ' ' you (all) and I can speak

1 ' 3 ' ' they and I can 'c.

2. ' ' you (all) can speak

3. ' ' they can speak

Second form

singular

1 ' ' I can speak

2. ' ' thou canst speak

3. ' ' he can speak

Dual

1 ' 2 ' ' thou and I can speak

1 ' 3 ' ' he ' I can 'c.

2. ' ' you (2) can 'c.

Plural

1 ' 2 ' ' you (all) ' I can speak

1 ' 3 ' ' they and I can speak

2. ' ' you (all) and I can speak

3. ' ' they can speak

N.B. It is difficult to convey, to the English reader, the precise distinction of idea expressed by these two forms. The following sentence, in which both are used, may serve to illustrate the matter '(Cherokee symbols)' Literally: I can speak if I can speak (Cherokee symbols), conveying the idea of natural ability to speak: and (Cherokee symbols) the idea of ability resulting from favorable circumstances.

Negative of the 1st form of the Potential mood.

Singular

Person

1. (Cherokee symbols) I cannot speak

2. ' ' thou canst not speak

3. ' ' he cannot speak

Dual

1 ' 2 ' ' thou and I cannot speak

1 ' 3 ' ' he and I cannot speak

2. ' ' you (two) cannot speak

Plural

1 ' 2 ' ' you (all) and I cannot speak

1 ' 3 ' ' they and I cannot speak

2. ' ' you (all) cannot speak

3 ' ' they cannot speak

Infinitive mood proper

(Cherokee symbols) to speak

Infinitive Mood with distinctions of person and number

singular

Person

1. (Cherokee symbols) I to speak

2. ' ' thou to speak

3. ' ' he to speak

Dual

1 ' 2 ' ' thou ' I to 'c.

1 ' 3 ' ' he and I to 'c.

2 ' ' you (two) 'c.

Plural

1 ' 2 ' ' you and ' I 'c.

1 ' 3 ' ' they and I 'c.

2 (Cherokee symbols) you (all) 'c.

3 ' ' they 'c.