Notice that when a prefix is added, the Arapaho verb is shortened: long vowels become short, and short vowels are dropped. If you want, you can think of this the other way around as well: when a verb doesn't have a prefix, then short initial vowels become long, and long initial vowels have a special -en- or -on- added before them. It is probably easier to think of this process in the second way.

 

When the verb begins with a short vowel, the vowel is lengthened:

 

be'éé- 'to be red' → bee'éé' 'it is red'

níhooyóó- 'to be yellow' →nííhooyóó' 'it is yellow'

 

When the verb begins with a long vowel, -en- (with -i- or -e-) or -on- (with -o-) is inserted between the initial consonant and the long vowel:

 

néetéíhi- 'to be tired' → nenéetéíhinoo 'I am tired'

ciisisee- 'to walk a long ways' → ceniisiseenoo 'I have walked a long ways'

hoowusee- 'to walk downwards' → honoowuseenoo 'I am walking downwards'

 

When syllables have a vowel + h, either change is possible. Some speakers treat the h like a vowel, while others treat it like a consonant:

 

cihc- 'transparent' (The word for jar translates to 'it is transparent.')

ceníhcoo' 'jar' [h as vowel, thus -en- added]

 

 

Exercises for Lesson Four