Details

General

Morphemic form: N{-aluk}N
New orthography: -aluit
Old orthography: -aluk
Combinations: Click here
See also: V{-aluk}V,
Left sandhi:
Truncative,
Right sandhi:
Default/none,
Inflection sandhi:
Default/none,
Stem type: Regular k-stem

Description and behaviour

Form and usage:

The meaning of this affix is something like 'a group/collection/number of N'. The meaning is inherently plural, so this affix will always require a plural ending, e.g. -aluit.

This affix is historically a nominal variant of V{-aluk}V, albeit with a somewhat different meaning.

Note that Schultz-Lorentzen (1958) gives a different meaning for this affix: 'rather', 'small'. However, based on his examples it is unclear why he gives this translation, and it does not seem to fit with the examples from DAKA either.


Inflection

Declension pattern
Declension type: up-declined
Declension sandhi: Default/none

Stem before consonant Stem before vowel Notable forms
New orthography -aluk -alu
-
-
-aluit
Phonemic orthography -aluk -alu
-
-
-aluit

Notes on declension:

The meaning of this affix is inherently plural, so it is only used with endings in plural.


Meanings and examples

Or 'several N', seemingly with connotations of 'small' (group).

  • angutaaluit, a group of men
    [8]

    From {aŋutə}N, 'man'. Note that the affix triggers /ə/ ⇒ [a] by the ə-rule (as expected).

  • inualuit, a group of people
    [8]

    From {inuk}N, 'human'.

  • qallunaavaluit, a small group of Danes
    [8]

    From qallunaaq, 'Dane'. Note that /v/ is injected by phonotactic epenthesis (as expected).

  • pialuit, small things
    [4]

    Or pialunnguit, with N{ŋŋuaq}N in same sense.

  • inuppaaluit, a quite big group of people
    [4]

    With N{(q)vak}N to get the meaning 'quite big'.

  • ilarpaalui, a quite big number of them
    [4]

    Partitive construction with {ila}N + N{(q)vak}N (quite big) + absolutive 3.pl/pl N{-i}.

  • malialuit, rough waters
    [4]

    From malik, 'wave', literally 'several waves', in the sense of describing the sea in unfavourable weather.


References