7 Object Pronouns
In Klallam the direct object is indicated as an ending (suffix) on the verb.
There are several forms of these object verb endings. Which form is used depends on several factors.
The most important factor in Klallam is whether the person doing the action (which we will call the actor) is in control of the action or not. For example, in English ‘I look at it,’ the actor, ‘I,’ is in control of the action. When you ‘look at’ something, you do it on purpose. On the other hand, in English ‘I see it,’ the actor, ‘I,’ is not necessarily in control. When you ‘see’ something you may not be doing it on purpose–it may be accidental.
Where English uses two separate verbs to show this ‘on purpose’ versus ‘accidental’ idea, Klallam uses different verb endings and different object pronouns.
The ending ‑t on a verb indicates that the actor is in control. The ending ‑nəxʷ on a verb indicates that the actor is not in control. So, for example, k̓ʷə́nt means ‘look at it,’ while k̓ʷə́nnəxʷ means ‘see it.’
The words k̓ʷə́nt and k̓ʷə́nnəxʷ have the same root (k̓ʷən‑) but different suffixes (‑t and ‑nəxʷ). In some Klallam words the root may stand alone, but the root in these two words, k̓ʷən‑, may not. The root of a word is what is left when all suffixes and prefixes are removed.
Careful attention to the exercises will make this distinction clear for you.