Details

General

Morphemic form: N{-tuaq}N
New orthography: -tuaq, -suaq
Old orthography: -tuaĸ, -suaĸ
Combinations: Click here
See also: V{-tuaq}V,
Left sandhi:
Truncative,
Right sandhi:
Default/none,
Inflection sandhi:
Geminating,
Stem type: Weak q-stem

Description and behaviour

Form and usage:

The meaning of this affix is 'the only N', or 'the sole N' or similar. There may be a relation to V{-tuaq}V, although the proto-eskimoic reconstructed form in the Comparative Eskimo Dictionary indicates that they are two different morphemes.


Left sandhi:

The forms with initial /s/ in the new/old orthography are caused by assibilation by a preceding /i/ (the t-to-s rule).


Inflection

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

Stem before consonant Stem before vowel Notable forms
New orthography -tua -tua
-tuaq
-tuap
-tuat
Phonemic orthography -tua -tua
-tuaq
-tuap
-tuat


Meanings and examples

Or 'the sole N' or similar.

  • ernituaq, the only son

    From {iqnəq}N, 'son'. The final vowel in the stem is /ə/, so it does not cause assibilation.

  • ilatuaq, the only companion
  • nunaatituaq, the only land one owns

    From {nuna}N{-utə}N, 'owned land'.

  • qitornatuaq, an only child
  • panisuaq, the only daughter

    From {panik}N, 'daughter', where /i/ causes assibilation of /t/ to /s/.

  • pisuannguara, the only one that I own (of that kind)

    From {pi}N{tuaq}N{ŋŋuaq}N{ga}, where /i/ in {pi}N causes assibilation of /t/ to /s/.


References