totem
/totem/
Definition
totem; an animal, plant or object held sacred by a kin group
- tuqumnu totemi — the totem of the clan
- totem janıwar — a totem animal
- totemge tabınırğa — to venerate a totem
Feedback
or .Cases
| Singular | Plural | When to use it | |
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | totemthe totem | totemlethe totems | the plain dictionary form — the doer of the sentence |
| genitive | totemnithe totem's | totemlenithe totems' | the owner — whose it is |
| accusative | totemnithe totem (as the object) | totemlenithe totems (as the object) | a specific, known object — whom or what |
| dative | totemgeto the totem | totemlegeto the totems | direction or recipient — to where, to whom |
| locative | totemdeat / in the totem | totemledeat / in the totems | where it is; also having — mende bar, "I have it" |
| ablative | totemdenfrom the totem | totemledenfrom the totems | where it comes from; also "than" when comparing |
When to use each case
- nominative
- the plain dictionary form — the doer of the sentence
- genitive
- the owner — whose it is
- accusative
- a specific, known object — whom or what
- dative
- direction or recipient — to where, to whom
- locative
- where it is; also having — mende bar, "I have it"
- ablative
- where it comes from; also "than" when comparing
The endings are the same ones the pronouns wear — that page explains when each case is used.
With an owner
| One owned | Several owned | |
|---|---|---|
| my | totemimmy totem | totemlerimmy totems |
| your | totemingyour totem | totemleringyour totems |
| his / her | totemihis / her totem | totemlerihis / her totems |
| our | totemibizour totem | totemleribizour totems |
| you all's | totemigizyou all's totem | totemlerigizyou all's totems |
| their | totemleritheir totem | totemleritheir totems |
The overlap in the last rows is real, not a mistake: totemleri can mean "his / her totems", "their totem", or "their totems" — context decides.