Editing Cheyenne language (section)

===Verb morphology===
The Cheyenne verb system is very complex and verb constructions are central to the morphosyntax of the language,{{sfn|Leman|2011|p=17}}{{sfn|Petter|1905|p=451}} to the point that even adjectives{{sfn|Petter|1905|p=457}} and even some nouns{{sfn|Petter|1915|p=iv}} are largely substantive{{clarify|date=December 2023|reason=Substantive in Latin grammar is a synonym of noun in English grammar. What does it mean in Cheyenne grammar?}} in nature.  Verbs change according to a number of factors, such as [[Modal verb|modality]], [[Grammatical person|person]] and [[Transitivity (grammar)|transitivity]], as well as the [[animacy]] of the referent, each of these categories being indicated by the addition of an [[affix]] to the basic verb stem.{{sfn|Leman|2011|p=22}} There are also several [[Instrumental case|instrumental]], [[Locative case|locative]] and [[adverb]]ial affixes that add further information to the larger verb construction.  This can result in very long, complex verbs that are able to stand alone as entire sentences in their own right.
All Cheyenne verbs have a rigid templatic structure.{{sfn|Murray|2012|p=244}} The affixes are placed according to the following paradigm:

<div style="text-align: center;">person – (tense) – (directional) – (preverb) – ROOT – (medial) – final{{sfn|Leman|2011|p=22}}</div>

====Pronominal affixes====
Cheyenne represents the participants of an expression not as separate [[pronoun]] words but as affixes on the [[verb]]. There are three basic pronominal prefixes in Cheyenne:{{sfn|Leman|2011|p=20}}
*{{Lang|chy|ná-}}{{in5|6}}first person
*{{Lang|chy|né-}}{{in5|6}}second person
*{{Lang|chy|é-}}{{in5|8}}third person

These three basic prefixes can be combined with various suffixes to express all of Cheyenne's pronominal distinctions. For example, the prefix {{Lang|chy|ná-}} can be combined on a verb with the suffix -me to express the first person plural exclusive.

====Tense====
Tense in Cheyenne is expressed by the addition of a specific tense morpheme between the pronominal prefix and the verb stem.  Verbs do not always contain tense information, and an unmarked present tense verb can be used to express both past and "recent" present tense in conversation.  Thus, {{Lang|chy|návóómo}} could mean both 'I see him' and 'I saw him' depending on the context.{{sfn|Leman|2011|p=191}}

Far past tense is expressed by the morpheme {{IPA|/-h-/}}, which changes to {{IPA|/-x-/}}, {{IPA|/-s-/}}, {{IPA|/-š-/}} or {{IPA|/-'-/}} before the -h, -t, -k and a vowel, respectively.  Thus:

*{{Lang|chy|návóómo}} {{gloss|I see him}}
*{{Lang|chy|náhvóómo}} {{gloss|I saw him}}

Similarly, the future tense is expressed by the morpheme {{IPA|/-hte/}}, which changes to {{Lang|chy|-htse}} after the {{Lang|chy|ná-}} pronominal, {{Lang|chy|-stse}} after {{Lang|chy|ne-}} and {{Lang|chy|-tse}} in the third-person, with the third-person prefix dropped altogether.{{sfn|Leman|2011|p=191}}

====Directional affixes====
These prefixes address whether the action of the verb is moving "toward" or "away from" some entity, usually the speaker.{{sfn|Leman|2011|p=23}}

*{{Lang|chy|-nėh-}}{{in5|8}}toward
*{{Lang|chy|-nex-}}{{in5|8}}toward (before -h)
*{{Lang|chy|-ne'-}}{{in5|9}}toward (before a vowel)
*{{Lang|chy|-nes-}}{{in5|8}}toward (before -t)
*{{Lang|chy|-ta-}}{{in5|11}}away from

====Preverbs====
Following Algonquianist terminology, Leman (2011) describes "preverbs", morphemes which add adjectival or adverbial information to the verb stem.  Multiple preverbs can be combined within one verb complex. The following list represents only a small sample.{{sfn|Leman|2011|p=181}}

*{{Lang|chy|-emóose-}}{{in5|10}}secretly
*{{Lang|chy|-nésta-}}{{in5|14}}previously 
*{{Lang|chy|-sé'hove-}}{{in5|10}}suddenly
*{{Lang|chy|-áhane-}}{{in5|12}}extremely
*{{Lang|chy|-táve-}}{{in5|15}}slightly
*{{Lang|chy|-ohke-}}{{in5|15}}regularly
*{{Lang|chy|-pȧháve-}}{{in5|11}}good, well
*{{Lang|chy|-ma'xe-}}{{in5|13}}much, a lot
*{{Lang|chy|-hé-}}{{in5|19}}for the purpose of
*{{Lang|chy|-ha'ke-}}{{in5|14}}slowly, softly
*{{Lang|chy|-hoove-}}{{in5|13}}mistakenly

====Medial affixes====
This large group of suffixes provide information about something associated with the root, usually communicating that the action is done with or to a body part.{{sfn|Leman|2011|p=23}} Thus: {{Lang|chy|énėše'xahtse}} ('he-wash-mouth') = 'he gargled'.{{sfn|Leman|2011|p=165}} Following is a sample of medial suffixes:{{sfn|Leman|2011|p=163}}

*{{Lang|chy|-ahtse}}{{in5|14}}mouth
*{{Lang|chy|-éné}}{{in5|17}}face
*{{Lang|chy|-na'evá}}{{in5|12}}arm
*{{Lang|chy|-vétová}}{{in5|12}}body 
*{{Lang|chy|-he'oná}}{{in5|12}}hand
*{{Lang|chy|-hahtá}}{{in5|14}}foot

Medial suffixes can also be used with nouns to create compound words or to coin entirely new words from existing morphemes, as in:

{{Lang|chy|ka'énė-hôtame}} [short-face-dog] = 'bulldog'{{sfn|Leman|2011|p=165}}

====Final affixes====
Cheyenne verbs take different object agreement endings depending upon the animacy of the subject and the transitivity of the verb itself.  Intransitive verbs take endings depending upon the animacy of their subject, whereas transitive verbs take endings that depend upon the animacy of their object.  All verbs can therefore be broadly categorized into one of four classes: Animate Intransitive (AI), Inanimate Instransitive (II), Transitive Animate (TA) and Transitive Inanimate (TI).{{sfn|Leman|2011|pp=17-18}} Following are the most common object agreement markers for each verb class.{{sfn|Leman|2011|p=23}}

*{{Lang|chy|-e}}{{in5|16}}Animate Intransitive (AI)
*{{Lang|chy|-ó}}{{in5|16}}Inanimate Intransitive (II)
*{{Lang|chy|-o}}{{in5|16}}Transitive Animate (TA)
*{{Lang|chy|-á/-é}}{{in5|12}}Transitive Inanimate  (TI)

====Negation====
Verbs are negated by the addition of the infix {{Lang|chy|-sâa-}} immediately after the pronominal affix.  This morpheme changes to {{Lang|chy|sáa-}} in the absence of a pronominal affix, as occurs in the imperative and in some future tense constructions.{{sfn|Leman|2011|p=25}}