• Unlike the personal pronouns of English, Ojibwe pronouns do not have special
forms for different grammatical functions, such as English I
for 'first person singular subject,' and me, for 'first
person singular' object, my, for first person singular possessor, etc.
A single Ojibwe pronoun is used for all of these functions. Ojibwe personal pronouns,
too, are used differently from their English equivalents, in that when Ojibwe
pronouns are present, they often add emphasis, contrast, or clarification. This
is because standard grammatical roles are expressed by means of prefixes and suffixes
on verbs. Ojibwe personal pronouns are also used when no verb is present.
• The following are some examples
of the usage of personal pronouns in sentences:
- "Indaanis, ingii-paashkizogoo
gaye niin," mii ko gaa-ikidod. '"My daughter,
they shot me too," that's what she said.' (MK)
- Giin gizhiikaabatooyan, maajiibatoon
naadin i'iw mashkikiwaaboo iwidi neyaashing. 'You run fast, run and get the
medicine there on the point.' (MK)
- Awenen giin? 'Who are you?'
- Bezhig igo onapijige, miish niinawind ezhi-naganigooyaang.
'One of them harnessed up and then they left us.' (MK)
- Aanish naa gii-michaani i'iw endaawaad, gii-ishpimisagokaadeni, mii
go gaye niinawind dibishkoo. 'Well, their regular
place was big and had a second floor like our place.' (MK)
- Giinawaa go ge-izhi'eg giga-izhi'aawaa
maa gaye wii-niseg. 'Whatever you want to do to him you must do, even
if you want to kill him.' (AW)
- Wiinawaa ogii-gikendaanaawaa Anishinaabeg
gegoo inaapinewaad. 'The Indians themselves knew what it was when they
were in any way ill.' (AW)