A Preliminary Examination of Preverbs in the Micmac Verb

Abstract

Words in Algonkian languages are made up of various formatives known as preverb, root, medial, final, and inflection. Among the Eastern Algonquian languages Leavitt (1985) has reported on the nature of preverbs in Passamaquoddy and Malecite; however, little has been published on the preverb in Micmac.

Preverbs in Micmac are formatives which precede roots and other preverbs in both verbs and nouns, though infrequently in nouns. This paper examines the shape, function and position of preverbs as they occur in the Micmac verb.