Datapoint Michif/Indefinite pronouns

The words for 'who' as interrogative (aweena from Cree) and the indefinite 'someone' (awiyak from Cree or quelqu'un from French) are clearly distinct. The Cree forms are pervasive, the French forms marginal.

The word keekway (with variant forms) is used both for 'something' and 'what'. Some speakers claim that their forms for 'what' and 'something' are different.

Values

Interrogative-based indefinites Frequency: 50.0%

Example 75-71:
Keekwaay eeyaayen daan ta maen?
Keekwaay
what
ee-ayaa-yen
comp-have.inan-2sg
daan
prep.loc
ta
2sg.poss
maen?
hand
What do you have in your hand?

Source: Laverdure and Allard 1983: 355

Example 75-72:
Keekway namateew daan ta sup.
Keekway
something
namatee-w
lack-3
daan
prep.loc
ta
2sg.poss
sup.
soup
There's something lacking in your soup.

Source: Laverdure and Allard 1983: 158

Confidence:
Intermediate

Special indefinites Frequency: 50.0%

Example 75-70:
Sapran awiyak chipamihaat.
Sapran
necessary
awiyak
someone
chi-pami-h-aat.
comp.fut-drive-caus-3.sbj.3.obj
She needed someone to drive.

Source: Fleury 2007

Example 75-73:
Cheukzenn kapooshihikunaan.
Cheukzenn
someone
ka-pooshi-h-iku-naan.
fut-embark-caus-inv-1pl
Someone will give us a ride.

Source: Laverdure and Allard 1983: 306

Confidence:
Very certain