Details

General

Morphemic form: N{kcaq}N
New orthography: -ssaq
Old orthography: -gssaĸ
Combinations: Click here
See also: V{ssa}V, N{kcaisua}V,
Left sandhi:
Default,
Right sandhi:
/aq/ drop,
Inflection sandhi:
Default/none,
Stem type: Weak q-stem

Description and behaviour

Form and usage:

This affix is the nominal future affix, sometimes known as an irrealis affix. It is incredibly common, but also difficult to adequately translate into English. It is used on any noun that has not yet come into existence, and it can therefore tentatively be translated as 'a future N', or 'something that is destined to become N', although such a literal translation will often seem awkward. Thus, the building materials for a house (illu) can be referred to as illussaq, and a work task (suliaq) that has not yet been carried out can be referred to as suliassaq. The affix is also used in a number of lexicalised words, such as for example _ilinniagassat (pl), 'homework', which is literally 'future things to be learned'; and atortussat (pl), 'materials/resources', which is literally 'things to be used'.

Another common usage of this affix is in combination with the abstract participle V{nəq}N and a possessive ending to create a 'nominal object clause' with future meaning, usually with a possessive ending N{POSS}. See the examples in the entry for V{nəq}N for further details on nominal object clauses. Apparently, the combination V{nəq}N{kcaq}N{POSS} seems to be preferred over using a combination with the verbal future affix V{ssa}V{nəq}N{POSS}, to express 'the future Vb'ing of Possessor'.


Right sandhi:

This affix can drop the final /aq/ in combination with certain affixes with left-sandhi replacivity, although this is mostly seen in lexicalised constructions. The archaic absolutive possessive 4.sg/sg ending N{'-i} may also cause this /aq/ to drop.


Inflection

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

Stem before consonant Stem before vowel Notable forms
New orthography -ssa -ssa
-ssaq
-ssap
-ssat
-ssi
Phonemic orthography kca kca
kcaq
kcap
kcat
-kci


Meanings and examples

Or 'is supposed/intended/destined to become N'.

  • illussaq, a future house

    This could e.g. be a house that is still under construction.

  • atortussat, materials

    From atorpoq, 'it is used' + V{ðuq}N and with a plural ending, so literally 'something(s) that shall be used.'

  • Nukissiorfiit, The National Electricity company of Greenland

    From {nukək}N, 'power', + N{kcaq}N + N{-liuq}V, 'make N', + V{(v)vik}N, 'place where Vb' + N{-it}, absolutive plural, so literally 'places that make future power'. In phonemic notation: /nukəkciuqviit/. In the name Nukissiorfiit we see the combination N{kcaq}N{-liuq}V yielding -ssior-, because N{-liuq}V causes the final /aq/ to drop from N{kcaq}N. Thus, all that remains of the affix N{kcaq}N is /kc/, which assimilates to [cc], spelt 'ss' in the new orthography.

  • qajassaa, the kayak that shall be his
    [4]

    With absolutive 3.sg/sg possessive ending N{-a}. This can either refer to an existing kayak that he does not yet own, or the materials to build the kayak.

  • suliassaa, the work he shall do
    [4]

    With absolutive 3.sg/sg possessive ending N{-a}. I.e. a work task he will do, or is supposed to do, in the future, but which he has not yet done.

  • palasissaq, future priest

    I.e. someone who is 'destined' to become a priest, e.g. because he is presently studying theology but has not yet been ordained.

When used in combination with the abstract participle V{nəq}N.

  • Piitap tikinnissaa qilaanaaraara, I'm looking forward to Peter's (future) arrival

    The main verb is qilaanaaraara, 'I look forward to it', with the transitive indicative 1.sg/3.sg ending V{vara}, so I is the subject and it is the object. The object is then explicitly specified in the absolute case by the noun phrase Piitap tikinnissaa, from {təkit}V{nəq}N{kcaq}N{-a}, so literally 'the future arrival of Peter'.


References