11. An obviative / proximate system has a different way of distinguishing between multiple third-person referents. 12. The obviative form is used when there are two or more animate third persons in a sentence. 13. Like other Ojibwe dialects, Ottawa grammar includes obviative , indicating a noun phrase that is less prominent. 14. Animate obviative nouns do not mark number so it is unknown whether an obviative noun is singular or plural. 15. Animate obviative nouns do not mark number so it is unknown whether an obviative noun is singular or plural. 16. In the first two examples the action takes place directly, where the proximate is acting upon the obviative . 17. Obviation is only marked on Transitive Animate verbs, and there is no obviative marking on inanimate nouns or verbs. 18. The fourth person subject prefix "'ji-"'is a kind of obviative third person. 19. Proximate nouns are those deemed most central or important to the discourse, while obviative nouns are those less important to the discourse. 20. Another important distinction involves the contrast between nouns marked as " proximate " and those marked as " obviative ".
