Details

General

Morphemic form: N{siuq}V
New orthography: +siorpoq
Old orthography: -siorpoĸ
Combinations: Click here
Constituents: N{si}V, V{-uq}V,
Left sandhi:
Default,
Right sandhi:
Default/none,
Inflection sandhi:
Default/none,
Stem type: q-stem
Diathesis: Reflexive
Valency change: None
Valency:
Divalent,

Description and behaviour

Form and usage:

This affix is a combination of N{si}V, 'buy/get/find N' and the non-productive affix V{-uq}V, 'repeated/prolonged activity'. It is regularly used in a monovalent sense, meaning 'Actor searches for/celebrates/travels through N'. However, as with N{si}V, Schultz-Lorentzen (1958) also does give a few examples, where it is used in a divalent sense (with the 'searches for' meaning). This seems to be the case, when N is owned by the Patient, i.e. the meaning is 'Agent searches for N of the Patient'.

V{-uq}V has no inherent diathesis and preserves the valency of its stem. See the considerations in the entry for N{si}V, for why we regard this affix as having reflexive diathesis.


Left sandhi:

Left sandhi is inherited from the left-most component, N{si}V. See this for details.


Right sandhi:

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


Inflection sandhi:

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


Meanings and examples

With nouns for occasions like Christmas, Easter etc. This is only with intransitive endings, so we denote the subject as Actor rather than Agent, although this should be viewed as a short-hand for the reflexive meaning 'Agent=Patient celebrates N of/for himself'.

  • inuuissiorpoq, he celebrates (his own) birthday

    From inuuik, 'birth day' (i.e., the actual day where the person was born).

  • juullisiorpoq, he celebrates Christmas

    The base is juulli, 'Christmas', borrowed from Danish jul.

  • poorskisiorpoq, he celebrates Easter

    The base is poorski, 'Easter', borrowed from Danish påske.

  • piinsisiorpoq, he celebrates the Pentecost

    The base is piinsi, 'Pentecost', borrowed from Danish pinse.

  • sapaatisiorpoq, he celebrates Sunday

    In the sense of 'relaxes, does not work' because it is not a work day.

Or 'is looking for' etc.

  • suleqatissarsiorpugut, we are searching for a future colleague

    From suleqatissaq, 'future colleague'. This is a typical line found in job advertisements.

  • allusiorpoq, he searches for the breathing hole of a seal
    [8]

    I.e., in the ice, during a seal hunt.

  • ikitsisisiorpoq, he is searching for matches
    [8]

    From {əkətcitə}N, 'match' (for lighting fire). The presence of an affix after thebase allows the /i/ in the stem to assibilate the following /t/ to /s/.

  • qajarsiorpoq, he is looking for kayaks
    [8]

  • tulussiorpoq, he is searching for an Englishman
    [8]

  • aqissersiorpoq, he searches for ptarmigan
    [4]

    I.e. on a hunt

  • ulloriarsiorpoq, he is looking for stars
    [4]

  • kukkunersiorpoq, he is correcting an assignment
    [4]

    Literally 'looking for errors'.

  • tumisiorpoq, he follows a trail
    [4]

    Presumably of some animal. Literally 'he searches for footprints'. Note: here, the reflexive interpretation does not seem to make sense, since he is presumably not looking for his own footprints.

This is arguably the same meaning as the intransitive usage, but here the Agent and Patient are clearly distinct, and the endings are transitive. Note that this usage is not common nowadays.

  • tumisiorpaa, he follows its trail
    [4]

    Presumably of some animal. Literally 'he searches for footprints of it'.

  • ajunnginnersiorpai, he looks for the best amongst them
    [4]

    From ajunnginneq, 'the best', literally 'he searches for their best'.

  • inissarsiorpaa, he searches for a place for him
    [4]

    From inissaq, '(future) room/nest/living place'.

Or 'is out in', 'is subjected to'. This is probably a less common meaning of this affix.

  • nittaalarsiorpoq, he is out in the snowy weather
    [8]

  • perlussiorpoq, he is exposed to unpleasantries.
    [8]

This meaning does not seem common nowadays.

  • nunasiorpoq, he travels over land
    [4]

  • imarsiorpoq, he travels around at sea
    [4]

  • unnuarsiorpoq, he travels around during night
    [4]


References