Details

General

Morphemic form: N{-sik}V
New orthography: -sippoq
Old orthography: -sigpoĸ
Combinations: Click here
Left sandhi:
Truncative,
Irregular,
Right sandhi:
Default/none,
Inflection sandhi:
Default/none,
Stem type: k-stem
Diathesis: Subjective
Valency change: None
Valency:
Monovalent,

Description and behaviour

Form and usage:

This is an old, non-productive morpheme found in some lexicalisations, meaning something like 'Actor is rather far in the N direction', with N being a spatial noun. However, it is also used with other nouns, where the meaning seems to be more like '`Actor is rather N' (see the examples).


Left sandhi:

The affix is truncative. However, there are some examples of lexicalised words, where the affix seems to have deleted more than just the final consonant. It is not clear what sandhi process might have led to this, but these formations are in any case old and lexicalised.


Meanings and examples

Where N indicates a direction

  • kujasippoq, it lies in the south
    [8]

    From directional stem {kujat(ə)}N, 'area south of'. Note: irregularly formed with loss of /tə/.

  • siusippoq, it is rather far ahead
    [8]

    From directional stem {sivu}N, 'area forward'.

  • qaqqasippoq, he is rather far up on the mountain
    [4]

  • siamasipput, they are quite spread-out
    [4]

    The base is an old morpheme {ciðamət(-)}, 'scatter', according to the Comparative Eskimo Dictionary. It can apparently be either nominal or verbal, but it does not appear to have a nominal stem form in modern-day Greenlandic. Hence, this formation must be rather old.


References