Details

General

Morphemic form: N{kcit}V
New orthography: -ssippaa, -ssiivoq
Old orthography: -gssípâ
Sources: [14, 11]
Combinations: Click here
Constituents: N{kcaq}N, N{-liq}V, V{-t}V,
Left sandhi:
Default,
Right sandhi:
tð⇒ts,
Inflection sandhi:
Default/none,
Stem type: t-stem
Diathesis: Reflexive
Valency change: None
Valency:
Divalent,
HTR morpheme:
ði,
HTR stem: kcii,

Description and behaviour

Form and usage:

The meaning of this affix is 'Agent gifts N to Patient'. According to the Comparative Eskimo Dictionary, this affix derives from {kðit}, which is formed through a combination of {kðaʀ}, i.e. the nominal future affix N{kcaq}N, and a morpheme {lit-}, 'provide with N', which however does not have a descendant in Greenlandic according this dictionary. It is presumably related to {liʀ-}, i.e. N{-liq}V, 'equip with N', but the source of the /t/ is unexplained. It might be the non-productive causative morpheme V{-t}V, which fits with the meaning, i.e.

seems reasonable to interpret as 'Agent gives N to Patient'. Thus, we tentatively record this affix as a combination

Note that Schultz-Lorentzen (1958), in contrast, claims it is a variant of V{-(cc)ut(ə)}V, but this cannot be the case as evidenced by the HTR-form, which reveals that there is no stem-final (ə). However, the HTR-form {kcii}, i.e. -ssiivoq is nevertheless strange, since t-stems normally have HTR-forms ending in -tsivoq, with the HTR-morpheme {ði} and /tð/ not fully assimilating.


Right sandhi:

Right sandhi is inherited from the right-most component, V{-t}V. See this for details.


Meanings and examples

As a gift.

  • atisassippaa, he gives him some clothes [14]
  • mattassippaa, he gives him some mattak [14]
  • pujortaatissippaa, he gives him a (smoking) pipe [14]
  • tupassippaa, he gives him some tobacco [14]