Details
General
| Morphemic form: | N{-kasik}N |
| New orthography: | -kasik |
| Old orthography: | -kasik |
| Combinations: | Click here |
| Variants: | V{-kasik}V, N{-kapsak}N, |
| Left sandhi: | Truncative,
|
| Right sandhi: | Default/none,
|
| Inflection sandhi: | Default/none,
|
| Stem type: | Regular k-stem |
Description and behaviour
Form and usage:
This is a common affix, denoting 'a bad; poor; despicable; ... etc. N'. There is no single, fitting translation; a host of different, negative words could be used. The general meaning is just that N is disregarded, despised, considered worthless etc., in the most general sense, which can range from mild dissatisfaction to contempt. However, as with other such affixes with a negative meaning, it can also be used in an ironic sense for endearment, affection or modesty, especially when referring to ones own possessions or family members.
The form N{-kasik}N is the most common form of this affix in most of West Greenland, albeit the variant N{-kapsak}N is more common in North Greenland. The affix seems to be used in an almost exclamatory sense, and thus mostly (or only?) in the absolutive singular, either possessed or non-possessed. Schultz-Lorentzen (1958) even gives examples of it being added onto completed words (including endings) like an enclitic, rather than as a nominal affix. For example:
- naamikasik, 'that bloody rubbish isn't there!', from naami(k), here in the sense of 'it is not here'.
- pissanngilarakasik, 'I will neither have it nor own it!', from the verb pissanngilara, 'I shall not get it'. Here, the morpheme is added directly onto a complete verb, like an enclitic.
However, this seems to be non-standard usage.
Inflection
Declension pattern
| Declension type: | up-declined |
| Declension sandhi: | Default/none |
Notes on declension:
The declension is not documented anywhere but it is presumably regular with up-declension. The affix seems to be seldom used outside of the absolutive singular, so we omit the declension pattern.
Meanings and examples
It can be used to signal modesty with one's own possessions. With names, the meaning can either be disdain or (ironically) endearment.
- umiakasik, a bad women's boat
[4]
From umiak, 'women's boat'.
- ernikasiga, my pathetic little son
[4]
From erneq, 'son', and with absolutive possessive 1sg/sg N{-ga}. Here it is used 'modest' sense, i.e. actually something like 'my dear son'.
- qajakasiga, my trashy, useless kayak
[13]
From qajaq, 'kayak'. This is likely in the 'modest' sense.
- annoraakasiga, my shitty worthless anorak
[4]
From annoraaq, 'anorak'. This is likely in the 'modest' sense.
- inukasik, a poor, pitiful person
[8]
From inuk, 'human'.
- Olekasik, dear/bad Ole
[8]
Ole is a name. The meaning here is likely endearment.
- qeqertakasik, a small island
[8]
From qeqertaq, 'island'. Presumably in the sense of 'pathetic little'.
- pujortaatikasik, a beloved pipe
[8]
From pujortaat, 'smoking pipe'.
References
- [4] C.W. Schultz-Lorentzen (1958): Den Grønlandske Ordbog.
- [6] Jonathan Petersen (1967): Ordbogêraĸ.
- [8] Christian Berthelsen, Birgitte Jakobsen, Robert Petersen, Inge Kleivan & Jørgen Rischel (1997): Oqaatsit.
- [13] Samuel Kleinschmidt (1871): Den grønlandske Ordbog.