The verbs vtotketv ‘to work’ and vyetv ‘(one) to go to’ differ in their assumptions about locations. The first describes an action without implying a specific direction or place. With verbs like this, a noun phrase followed by –n is interpreted as a general location where the action took place. 

In this case English needs a preposition in, but general locations are just marked with –n in Mvskoke (the same way an object is marked). 

A verb like vyetv ‘(one) to go to’ implies a specific destination. The action is understood to be directed toward a place. In this case, a location marked with –n is interpreted as a destination. 

Here again English needs a preposition to, but Mvskoke just uses –n. The hearer knows the location is a destination rather than a general location because vyetv implies one.

A verb like vtetv ‘(one) to come from’ implies a source. Here again Mvskoke just uses –n, but the meaning of the verb makes it clear that the sense is ‘from’. 

Postpositions: ofv ‘inside’, onvpv ‘above’

A POSTPOSITION relates a noun phrase to other parts of a sentence, usually by specifying direction or location. The following is a list of postpositions. 

• Postpositions usually appear with objects. The object comes before the postposition. The object is not marked with -n or -t.

• When using a postposition and its object in a sentence, the postposition is usually marked with –n. 

• The object of the postposition (ohhompetv ‘table’ in the above examples) can be viewed as a possessor of the postposition. Patient prefixes are used for persons.

• You can use -us after a postposition to mean ‘just (below, etc.)’.

Classifying location: aklikes/ohlikes/taklikes/vlikes

Prefixes on verbs clarify where something is located. These are often used with verbs describing position, like liketv ‘(one) to sit’.

• Use ohlikes for something sitting on a table, on top of a book, or on a shelf. Aklikes could be used for something under a table. Taklikes would be for something on the floor. Vlikes would be for something on a wall or the side of something.

• To describe location on a person, oh- is used for the shoulders or top of the head, v- is used for the chest or back, and ak- is used for the eyes, groin, or buttocks.
• To describe location on a dog or horse, ohlikes would be for something sitting on the back or head, vlikes would be for something on the sides, and aklikes would be for something in the eyes, groin, or buttocks.
• For a house, oh- indicates location on the roof, v- indicates location on the walls, and tak- indicates location inside the house or on the grounds outside (e.g., in the yard).

These prefixes are commonly used with positional verbs like liketv ‘(one) to sit’, hueretv ‘(one) to stand’, and wakketv ‘(one) to lie’.

The prefix and positional verb describe the number of entities involved, their position (sitting, standing, or lying), and their location.

Some verbs imply that the action is focused toward a specific location. In this case, the prefixes show where the action is directed.

Other verbs imply that the action comes from a specific location. In this case, the prefixes show the source of the action.

Direction and motion prefixes: ahēces ‘he/she is looking this way’

• Verbs have prefixes showing direction or motion.

• The prefix a- often means ‘this way’.

• With some verbs, a- means ‘from’ or ‘out of’.

• The patient and dative person markers have special forms after a-.

When a- is followed by e, it’s pronounced ie-.

• The prefix ra- is often used to mean ‘back’. It can also be used to mean ‘go a short distance and (do)’.

• A prefix res- (or reh-, er-, r-) is used to mean that someone goes a distance and performs the action.

• The prefix ’ye- is uncommon, but means ‘come and (do)’.