Details
General
| Morphemic form: | N{ccaaq}N |
| New orthography: | -ssaaq |
| Old orthography: | '-ssâĸ |
| Sources: | [14, 17] |
| Combinations: | View list |
| Left sandhi: | Default |
| Right sandhi: | Default/none |
| Inflection sandhi: | Default/none |
| Stem type(s): | Weak q-stem |
Description and behaviour
Form and usage:
The meaning of this affix is 'a grand N'. Other possible translations could be 'great; wonderful; majestic' etc. Kleinschmidt [14] gives a more elaborate definition: "Someone/something that makes a grand impression; by virtue of its grandeur, beauty; overwhelming etc." It is often followed by N{(q)cuaq}N for further emphasis.
The affix is not listed in Oqaatsit [20]; hence, it is likely not used productively nowadays, but it may be found in some lexicalised words, as well as in older texts.
Inflection
Declension pattern:
| Stem type: | Weak q-stem |
| Declension type: | p-declined |
| Declension sandhi: | Default/none |
| Stem before consonant | Stem before vowel | Notable forms | |
|---|---|---|---|
| New orthography | -ssaa | -ssaa | -ssaaq, -ssaap, -ssaat, |
| Old orthography | '-ssâ | '-ssâ | '-ssâĸ, '-ssâp, '-ssât, |
| Phonemic orthography | ccaa | ccaa | ccaaq, ccaap, ccaat, |
Notes on declension:
The inflection is not documented in any of the dictionaries. In the absence of further evidence, we shall here assume that it declines as a p-declined weak q-stem.
Meanings and examples
Other possible translations could be: 'great; wonderful; majestic' and so on. It is often followed by N{(q)cuaq}N for further emphasis/grandeur.
- nunassaaq, a wonderful land
[14]
- illussaarsuaq, a palace; a castle
[14]
From illu, 'house'.
- naalagassaarsuaq, a majestic lord; a high superior
[14]
From naalagaq, 'master' (literally: 'one who is obeyed').
- arnassaarsuaq, a proud woman
[17]