ᑖᓂᑲ tânika
(particle)
1
(followed by an indicative verb of the conjunct order)
used as an expression of hope or desire (e.g., would that, I wish, if only, etc.)
Examples
ᑖᓂᑲ ᓈᐯᐎᔮᓐ᙮
If only I were a man.
Harvey Smallboy - Cree Notes & Texts collected by Truman Michelson [1935]
ᑖᓂᑲ ᑖᒋᒀᑎᐦᑦ ᒪᓈ ᐐᓚ! ᑲᑕ ᑮᔥᑭᑴᐸᓖᐸᓐ, ᐃᑌᐗᒃ ᑭᔐ ᐃᔅᑴᐗ᙮
They said to the old woman, "If only someone screamed at him, right? His head would fall off!"
Harvey Smallboy - Cree Notes & Texts collected by Truman Michelson [1935]
2
(followed by a dubitative verb of the conjunct order or a future tensed indicative verb of the conjunct order)
I wonder
Examples
ᐁᑯ ᑳ ᐃᑗᑦ, ᑖᓂᑲ ᐁᐦᑎᑴ ᐊᐙᔑᔥ ᑳ ᐃᑖᐱᒌᑦ?
He then said, "I wonder how the child that is away is faring?"
Harvey Smallboy - Cree Notes & Texts collected by Truman Michelson [1935]
3
(followed by a personal pronoun)
lucky
Examples
ᑖᓂᑲ ᑮᓚ!
Lucky you!
References
comparetânikate