Details
General
| Morphemic form: | N{-ŋucaq}N |
| New orthography: | +neq |
| Old orthography: | -neĸ |
| Sources: | [19] |
| Combinations: | View list |
| Variants: | V{-ŋucaq}V |
| See also: | N{ŋŋuaq}N |
| Left sandhi: | Truncative |
| Right sandhi: | Default/none |
| Inflection sandhi: | Default/none |
| Stem type(s): | Weak q-stem |
Description and behaviour
Form and usage:
According to the Comparative Eskimo Dictionary [21], this affix derives from {ŋ(ŋ)uðaʀ(-)}, which is also the root of the more common affix N{ŋŋuaq}N. The meaning appears to be more or less the same, but with the present affix perhaps having 'dear/sweet' as more of a primary meaning, and with 'little' as a secondary meaning/connotation. Note also the verbal variant, V{-ŋucaq}V, which also seems to be used for endearment.
Inflection
Declension pattern:
| Stem type: | Weak q-stem |
| Declension type: | p-declined |
| Declension sandhi: | Default/none |
| Stem before consonant | Stem before vowel | Notable forms | |
|---|---|---|---|
| New orthography | -ngusa | -ngusa | -ngusaq, -ngusap, -ngusat, |
| Phonemic orthography | -ŋuca | -ŋuca | -ŋucaq, -ŋucap, -ŋucat, |
Meanings and examples
Maybe with connotations of 'little'.
- arnangusaq, a lovely woman
[19]
From arnaq, 'woman'.
- illingusaq, (thou) dear, sweet
[19]
From illit, the 2sg pronoun, here treated as an inflected noun stem.
- taannangusaq, the dear, sweet one
[19]
From taanna, actually a demonstrative pronoun, but here treated as a noun stem.
- paningusaq, sweet (little) daughter
[19]
From panik, 'daughter'.