For most Nouns, their Basic Form is composed of the Noun Prefix, plus
the Noun Base, plus the Linker Vowel, plus the Noun Suffix, with no
other changes.  However, with some Nouns, the situation is a little more
complicated.  The complications arise from the rule of Vowel Lengthening.
 

2.1. Vowel Lengthening

The rule of Vowel Lengthening applies to the next-to-last vowel in the
word.  In many words, a vowel that would otherwise be pronounced short,
is pronounced long when it occurs as the next-to-last vowel in a word.
Take, for example, the Noun Base -hat-, which means "forest".  The
Basic Form of this noun is «kaháta'» "forest", with the -a- of the Noun
Base lengthened to -á-.  Likewise with the Basic Form «uwísæ'» "ice",
from the Noun Base -wis-.  With both of these Nouns, a vowel which is
basically short gets lengthened when it occurs as the next-to-last vowel
in the word.  When these same vowels are not next-to-last in the word,
they do not get lengthened, and so are pronounced short, as in
«kahata'shö'ö» "forests", and «uwisæ'ke» "on the ice".

However, this rule which lengthens the next-to-last vowel does not
affect all words.  In many words, the next-to-last vowel remains short,
as in «kakanya'shæ'» "knife", «u'nehsa'» "sand", «unëö'» "corn", and
many others. The key to knowing when it applies is to look at the
sound(s) that comes immediately after the next-to-last vowel.  To
understand this, we can break the rule down into several smaller
patterns:

   (1) When the next-to-last vowel is followed by a single -t-, -k-,
       -s-, -h-, -n-, -w-, or -y-, the vowel will be lengthened.  For
       example, «kë'tôwë'» "bottom", «uhsíyæ'» "thread", «unôta'»
       "rhubarb".

   (2) When the next-to-last vowel is followed by either a single -'-,
       or by a sequence of consonants beginning with either -h- or -'-,
       the vowel will not be lengthened.  For example, «uëhtsi'æ'»
       "fried meat", «katkunya'shæ'» "ladle", «u'nehsa'» "sand".

Beyond these two basic patterns, we need to introduce the idea of odd-
numbered vowels and even-numbered vowels.  Odd-numbered vowels are those
which are the 1st, 3rd, 5th, etc... vowels in a word;  even-numbered
vowels are those which are the 2nd, 4th, 6th, etc... vowel in word.  As
a general rule, even-numbered vowels in Mingo are given more prominence
than odd-numbered vowels.  This carries over into the rule of Vowel
Lengthening.

   (3) When the next-to-last vowel is an even-numbered vowel, and is
       followed by sequence of consonants beginning with -t-, -k-, -s-
       or -n-, the vowel will be lengthened.  For example, «unékhwa'»
       "bloodroot", «unôkta'» "space", «kanôskwa'» "domesticated
       animal".  If it is an odd-numbered vowel, and/or followed by
       different consonants, it will not be lengthened.  For example,
       «kakhwa'» "food", «kakaista'» "eyeglasses", «utsëësta'» "coal,
       ember".

There are exceptions to all of these patterns, especially (3).  For
example, the consonant sequence -sh- sometimes allows the preceding
vowel to lengthen, as in «ëníshæ'» "shelf", and «ë'húshæ'» "ball", but
sometimes it keeps the preceding vowel short, as in «ênishæ'» "day",
and «teyuhateshæ'» "light".  Exceptions such as these must simply be
learned on a word-by-word basis.  Nonetheless, most words in Mingo,
including both Nouns and Verbs, do follow these patterns.
 

2.2. The Vowels -a- and -æ-

The vowels -a- and -æ- in Mingo are special with respect to the rule of
Vowel Lengthening. These vowels only ever lengthen if they are even-
numbered; when they are odd-numbered, they always remain short, no
matter what follows them.  When they are even-numbered, they follow the
same patterns as other vowels, namely:

   (4) When -a- or -æ- is the next-to-last vowel, and is even-numbered,
       and is followed by a single -t-, -k-, -s-, -h-, -n-, -w-, -y-, or
       by a consonant cluster beginning with -t-, -k-, -s- or -n-, the
       vowel will be lengthened.  For example, «kaháta'» "forest",
       «tsyu'táka'» "mink", «kekánya's» "I pay".

   (5) When those conditions do not hold, the vowel remains short.  For
       example, «kakaa'» "eye", «tsinutaka'» "muskrat",  «kaka'ta'»
       "white oak tree".

As a further complication, all Linker Vowels, even those which are -ö-
or -ë- follow these same rules for lengthening.  That is, -a- and -æ-
always follow these special rules, no matter whether they are the Linker
Vowel or just a regular vowel, but -ö- and -ë- will also follow these
rules when they occur as the Linker Vowel in a word.

Note that -a- and -æ- are special in another way.  The vowel sequence
-aæ- never occurs in Mingo.  Instead, the -aæ- sequence is replaced by
-ææ-.  This rule most often comes into play in the case of a Noun Base
ending in -a-, followed by the Linker Vowel -æ-.  For example,
«a'washææ'» "earring", «ênyaskææ'» "brooch", «uëhtææ'» "fuzz".

Note that in each of these example, the first -æ- is the next-to-last
vowel in the word, and is also odd-numbered.  When the first -æ- is the
next-to-last vowel, and is even-numbered, then the vowel lengthens.
However, the vowel sequence -ââ- never occurs in Mingo.  Instead, the
-ââ- sequence is replaced by -áá-.  For example, «unöhi'káá'» "pimple",
«ukáá'» "inner bark of a tree", «ka'táá'» "chimney".

When the second -æ- is the next-to-last vowel in the word, the sequence
always remains -ææ-, no matter what other conditions apply.  For
example, «kaëhtæækô» "under the cloth", «au'kææte'» "it sticks out".

When other suffixes are added on to these words, the -áá- sequence goes
back to being -ææ- , since the rule of Vowel Lengthening can no longer
apply to them.  For example «unöhi'kææ'shö'ö» "pimples", «ukææ'ke» "on the
inner bark", «ka'tææ'shö'ö» "chimneys".
 

2.3. Inherently Long Vowels

Finally, note that some vowels are inherently long.  They are pronounced
long no matter where they are in the word.  For example, in the Noun
Base -tsi'káy- chair, the -á- is inherently long.  It will always be
pronounced long, no matter where it is in the word.  For example,
«katsi'káya'» "chair", «katsi'káya'shö'ö» "chairs", «katsi'káya'ke» "on the chair".