-tax̣na

Definition:

Be able to, can, should.

Function:

Conditional. Attach to verbs directly. Cannot be used with tense within the same verb.

Examples:

  1. Abilitative (‘can, could’):
    1. tkʷátat paˀanítax̣na ‘they could prepare food’;
    2. pašapáp̓x̣tax̣nanam paamanáy ‘they can cause you to remember them’;
    3. anam kʷɨ́nki pašapálaliwatax̣na ‘with that which they could make you lonely’;
    4. kunata kú mayní ásapsik̓ʷatax̣na miyánašmaaman sɨ́nwit ‘and then some way we can teach the children the language’;
    5. čáwnam mún áwaawayčtax̣na kʷaaná wáašna ‘you can never run across that sacred ground’;
    6. ana kú čáw miyánašma pawínatax̣na súlcasyaw ‘when the children cannot go to the army’;
    7. iwɨ́nptux̣tax̣nanam paamikníin ‘he could get you back from them’;
    8. átq̓ix̣šanaaš paamanáy pawínatax̣na ‘I wanted them to go’;
    9. páyš iwínax̣amtax̣na káas čɨ́ni wánakni ‘if only the train could run on this side of the river’;
    10. átq̓ix̣šanaaš iwilawíix̣tax̣na ‘I wanted him to race’.
  2. Counterfactual conditional (suffixes to the verb in both clauses):
    1. páyšnaš wínatax̣na ‘if only I had gone’;
    2. páyšnaš wátax̣na x̣ax̣áykʷ inmípa apápa kuš kúuk q̓ínutax̣na ‘if I had the money in my hand then I would see’;
    3. páyšnaš wínatax̣na kuš átux̣ʷnatax̣na ɨwínatna ‘if I had gone I would have shot the deer’;
    4. kúuk itx̣ánatax̣nay tíin ku palaláay tkʷátat átx̣anatax̣nay ‘had the person stayed then there would be lots of food’ (Jacobs 1937:3.7.5, pg. 5).

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[NW -tax̣nay; NP /-oˀqa/, /-t-ˀaq/.]