Details

General

Morphemic form: N{si}V
New orthography: +sivoq, +sivaa
Old orthography: -sivoĸ, -sivâ
Combinations: Click here
Left sandhi:
Default,
Right sandhi:
Assibilation (t⇒s),
Inflection sandhi:
Default/none,
Stem type: Vowel stem
Diathesis: Reflexive
Valency change: None
Valency:
Divalent,

Description and behaviour

Form and usage:

This affix is regularly used in a monovalent sense, meaning 'Actor buys/gets/finds N'. However, Schultz-Lorentzen (1958) does give some examples of apparent transitive usage. It seems to derive from cases where the incorporated noun is owned by another person (who then is expressed as the Patient of the divalent stem), i.e. 'Agent finds Patient's N' or 'Agent finds N of/for the Patient'. This usage is thus reminiscent of the verbal possessive affix N{-gə}V.

However, the transitive usage does not appear to be regular nowadays. Instead, it is apparently only used with intransitive endings nowadays, and without the presence of a HTR-morpheme. The affix could therefore be interpreted as agentive, but because of the meanings of some combinations, which are derived from this morpheme, I believe it is better understood as reflexive. The intransitive usage then equates the Agent and Patient, and its meaning therefore becomes 'Agent=Patient finds/acquires N for himself'.


Meanings and examples

Or 'acquires'. This is the usual meaning of this affix with intransitive usage.

  • meqqutisivoq, he buys needle(s)
    [8]

  • mitersivoq, he buys eider duck(s)
    [8]

  • neqisivoq, he buys some meat
    [8]

  • nerrivissivoq, he acquires a table
    [8]

  • innersivoq, he acquires some fire
    [4]

    In the sense of 'fetches it' from someone else.

  • tunnissutisivoq, he gets a gift/present
    [4]

    This could either be in the sense of 'he is given a gift' or 'he buys a gift' (for someone else).

Or 'finds', 'meets' etc. This is a less common meaning of this affix.

  • aputisivoq, he spots some snow
    [8]

  • inussivoq, he encounters some people
    [8]

  • qimmersivoq, he encounters a dog
    [8]

    Note: this could also mean 'he buys a dog', in the other sense of this affix.

  • tumisivoq, he finds some footprints
    [8]

This meaning, with transitive usage, is not common nowadays.

  • tumisivaa, he finds his footprints
    [4]

    I.e., 'he finds the footprints of him'.

  • inissarsivaa, he finds a place/room for him
    [4]

    I.e., 'he finds a future room of (for) him'.

  • atersivaa, he learns his name
    [4]

    I.e. 'he acquires the name of him'.


References