ᒣᒀᒡ mekwâc
(particle) (progressive aspect marker)
1
(when used predicatively, with a demonstrative, or with a verb in the conjunct order)
while, during
Examples
ᒥᓯᐌ ᑮ ᐅᐦᐺᐱᑕᒻ ᐅᐲᐗᔭ ᒣᒀᒡ ᐁ ᐸᔥᑯᐱᒋᑫᑦ᙮
She caused all the feathers to rise while plucking.
Susan Cheechoo [2019]
ᒣᒀᒡ ᐆᒪ, ᓇᐗᒡ ᐁ ᐊᐙᔑᔒᐎᔮᐹᓐ ᓂ ᐸᐹ ᓅᒋᐱᓓᔒᔑᐙᐦᑖᓐ ᒫᑲ ᐁ ᑭᔐᐹᔮᒃ᙮
During this (time), when I was quite a young child, we used to go about hunting little birds during the morning.
Herbert McLeod - The Deborah James Corpus [1980]
2
(when used with a verb in the independent order)
at the moment, presently
Examples
ᒦᒋᓱᐤ ᒣᒀᒡ᙮
He is presently eating.
Mary Linklater [2015]
synonymanohc
We also found mentions of 'mekwâc' in
nâpemekw mekwâc e âmît