Details
General
| Morphemic form: | N{ttiaq}N (Combinations) |
| New orthography: | -tsiaq |
| Proto-eskimoic root: | tciaq |
| Variants: |
V{ttiaq}V
|
| Morpheme type: | Nominal modifier |
| Left sandhi: | Default (additive, epenthetic or phonotactically truncative) |
| Right sandhi: | None |
Description
Declension information
| Stem type: | Weak q-stem |
| Declension type: | p-declined |
| Declension sandhi: | Gemination |
| Gemination type: | /a/ => /aa/ |
| ABS.sg | ERG.sg | ERG.pl | ALL.sg | ABS.3sg/sg | Special forms |
| New orthography |
-tsiaq |
-tsiaap |
-tsiaat |
-tsiaamut |
-tsiaa |
|
| Phonemic notation |
ttiaq |
ttiaap |
ttiaat |
ttiaamut |
ttiaa |
|
Notes on declension:
This affix has a very peculiar feature: It geminates /a/.
The origin of this behaviour is unclear.
In the old orthography, it may have been up-declined, i.e. -tsiaup, -tsiait, which would explain the lengthened vowel in these cases.
However, if viewed as an ordinary, geminating weak-q stem, then we still get a lengthened /a/, because of the gemination, i.e. -tsiaap, -tsiaat, so the up-declension may be spurious.
The lengthening of /a/ is recorded at least as far back as in Rasmussen (1888), who has the example arriitsuatsiaamik (here transcribed in new orthography).
Meaning(s)
| Meaning |
Notes |
|
| a fair-sized N |
It may also have connotations of 'good', especially in combination with other affixes |
Examples |