Details

General

Morphemic form: N{-aq}N
New orthography: -aq, -gaq, -raq
Old orthography: -aĸ
Combinations: Click here
See also: N{-araq}N, N{-Vraq}N,
Left sandhi:
Truncative,
Irregular,
Right sandhi:
Default/none,
Inflection sandhi:
Default/none,
Stem type: Weak q-stem

Description and behaviour

Form and usage:

This is an old, non-productive morpheme found in many lexicalised words. The meaning is rather obscure, given as 'thing resembling something' by the Comparative Eskimo Dictionary. Schultz-Lorentzen (1958) describes it as giving the stem a specialised/more specific, and derived meaning, but exactly how is not further clarified.

One seemingly quite consistent (albeit lexicalised) usage is with animal names, where it denotes 'young/offspring of'. It is noted in the Comparative Eskimo Dictionary that this usage is from {ʀaʀ}, which however is speculated to be a doubling of {aʀ} or a generalisation of {aʀ} from uvular stems. Thus, we record this special meaning with the present affix. See the affixes N{-araq}N and N{-Vraq}N for the productive descendants of {ʀaʀ} with a similar or related meaning.


Left sandhi:

The affix is generally truncative. However, in some lexicalised words it appears that the affix has weakened the final consonant, rather than removing it, for example ivigaq from ivik. This may be caused by a preceding /ə/ (as in this case), or possibly also a long vowel which would otherwise have required an epenthetic consonant to be injected (by phonotactics).


Inflection sandhi:

Note that if the stem is formed irregularly, with weakening of the stem-final consonant to /r/ or /g/, the stem will have gemination.


Inflection

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

Stem before consonant Stem before vowel Notable forms
New orthography -a -a
-aq
-ap
-at
Phonemic orthography -a -a
-aq
-ap
-at


Meanings and examples

  • ivigaq, fine grass
    [4]

    From ivik, morphemic form {əvək}N, 'grass'. Nowadays, ivigaq, ivikkat seem to have taken over the meaning of 'grass' in general. The word is irregularly formed with weakening of /k/.

  • alluaq, fishing hole (in ice)
    [4]

    From allu, 'breathing hole of a seal (in ice)'.

  • unnuaq, night
    [4]

    From unnuk, 'evening'.

  • amitsuaq, narrowing
    [4]

    From amitsoq, '(something that is) narrow'.

With animal names

  • appaaq, an _appa_ chick
    [8]

    From appa, a type of Greenlandic bird

  • naajaaq, a sea gull chick
    [8]

    From naaja, 'sea gull'.

  • natsiaq, young ringed seal
    [8]

    From natseq, 'ringed seal'.

  • nanoraq, polar bear cub
    [4]

    From nanoq, 'polar bear'. Note: this is irregularly formed with weakening of /q/.

  • nattoralaaq, eagle chick
    [4]

    From {nakturalək}N, 'eagle'. This is irregularly formed, with the affix triggering the ə-rule even within the stem.


References