Details

General

Morphemic form: N{-giik}N
New orthography: -giit, -riit
Old orthography: -gît, -rît
Combinations: Click here
Variants: N{-giik}V,
Left sandhi:
Fusional,
Right sandhi:
Default/none,
Inflection sandhi:
Geminating,
Stem type: Regular k-stem

Description and behaviour

Form and usage:

The meaning of this affix is '(a group of) mutual Ns'. It may be related to the verbal possessive affix N{-gə}V, i.e. a 'group of people having each other as N'. The /ik/ seems to be an old dual marker, which suggests that the affix (at least previously) also could be used in the form -giik, corresponding to the dual number. For example, Schultz-Lorentzen (1958) mentions the examples

besides their plural forms (ernerît, panigît).

N{-giik}N also has a verbal variant, N{-giik}V. Both forms are commonly combined with V{-qatə}N and N{-qatə}N to express 'Vb together with' or 'to be N together' (have each other as fellow N).


Inflection

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

Stem before consonant Stem before vowel Notable forms
New orthography -giik -gii
-giit
Phonemic orthography -giik -gii
-giit

Notes on declension:

The meaning of this affix is inherently plural, so it always requires a plural ending, e.g. -giit, -giinnut etc.


Meanings and examples

Referring to a group of N.

  • ikinngutigiit, a group of mutual friends

    From {əkəŋŋutə}N, 'friend'.

  • ilaqutariit, family

    From ilaqutaq, family member.

  • aapariit, a married couple
  • ateriit, 'name-mates'

    I.e., people having the same name, from {atəq}N, 'name'.

  • suleqatigiit, (a group of) colleagues

    Literally 'a group of people who have each other as mutual fellow-workers', from {suli}V{-qatə}N, 'fellow worker'.


References