Mandan employs positional auxiliaries specifying the stance as sitting, lying, standing or moving, like other Siouan languages. Semantically implicit is durative aspect, which makes them candidates for aspect marking. These positional auxiliaries can be attached to nouns, thus classifying them by their positional configuration (stance).
A noun classification system based on positional properties of objects in Osage (1 of 2)
In Osage, the distinction between standing, sitting, lying and moving objects is fundamental. This positional configuration is inherent to objects, such that for example a dish will always ‘sit’ on the table surface. Speakers must always use speech elements consistently with the according inherent positional properties of an object. Several elements including aspect auxiliaries, positional articles, postpositions are employed in this system.