Details

General

Morphemic form: N{-aqcuk}N
New orthography: -arsuk, -varsuk
Old orthography: -arssuk
Combinations: Click here
Variants: V{-aqcuk}V,
Left sandhi:
Truncative,
Right sandhi:
Default/none,
Inflection sandhi:
Default/none,
Stem type: Regular k-stem

Description and behaviour

Form and usage:

A productive affix formed from a combination of the non-productive affix N{-aq}N and an obscure, non-productive morpheme {cuk} (spelt -ssuk in the old orthography), according to Schultz-Lorentzen (1958). However, this latter affix -ssuk does not appear in the list of affixes in the dictionary (Schultz-Lorentzen, 1958), nor in the DAKA dictionary.

The (productive) combined affix N{-aqcuk}N means a 'bad/poor/pathetic N', sometimes also with connotations of 'small'. However, as with several other of these nominal affixes with a negative meaning, this affix can also be used in an endearing sense. There is also a verbal variant of this affix, V{-aqcuk}V, with a somewhat related meaning: 'Vb half-heartedly', maybe with connotations of 'in a poor/pathetic way', mirroring the meaning of the nominal form.


Inflection

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

Stem before consonant Stem before vowel Notable forms
New orthography -arsuk -arsu
-arsuk
-arsuup
-arsuit
Phonemic orthography -aqcuk -aqcu
-aqcuk
-aqcuup
-aqcuit


Meanings and examples

Also 'pathetic', 'bad' etc., sometimes with connotations of 'small'. It can also be used in an endearing sense with names.

  • aalisagaarsuk, a bad/pathetic(aly small) fish
    [8]

  • inuarsuk, a pathetic person
    [8]

    From inuk, 'human/person'.

  • maliarsuk, a small wave
    [8]

    Seemingly 'pathetic' implies 'small' here.

  • iputaarsuk, a bad/useless oar
    [8]

    From iput, 'oar', so a tə-stem, with /ə/ becoming [a] as expected.

  • saarullivarsuk, a bad/pathetic(aly small) cod
    [8]

    It is unclear why the /v/ should be injected here (compare maliarsuk). This may be an irregularity or just an optional form (but see notes under the variant V{-aqcuk}V).

  • unaavarsuk, a bad/useless harpoon
    [8]

    From unaaq, 'harpoon', with /VV/ triggering phonotactic epenthesis of /v/, as expected.

  • pulateriaarsuk, snake
    [8]

    Lexicalised, from pulateriaq, 'earth worm'.

  • piarsuit, rubbish
    [4]

    Literally 'useless things'. Note that DAKA instead gives the translation 'small things' for this word.

  • toornaarsuk, little helper spirit
    [4]

    A helping spirit of an angakkoq (shaman). Here, the affix is used in an endearing sense.

  • taannaraarsuk, the dear/sweet one
    [4]

    Here, the affix is used in an endearing sense.


References