Details

General

Morphemic form: N{tuq}V
New orthography: +torpoq, +sorpoq
Old orthography: -torpoĸ, -sorpoĸ
Combinations: Click here
See also: N{(q)cuq}V,
Left sandhi:
Default,
Right sandhi:
Default/none,
Inflection sandhi:
Default/none,
Stem type: q-stem
Diathesis: Subjective
Valency change: None
Valency:
Monovalent,

Description and behaviour

Form and usage:

The original meaning of this affix is 'use/consume N'. Nowadays it is only used productively, and frequently, in the sense of 'consume N', but it also exists in a number of lexicalised words in the sense of 'use N', especially with means of transportation (e.g. qajartorpoq means 'he sails in kayak', and not '*he eats kayak').

Because of the t-to-s rule, the initial /t/ may become /s/ when following a true /i/; hence +torpoq becomes +sorpoq. This regularly happens when following the four luxury goods kaffi, kaagi, viini and whisk(e)y, which has led to a 'myth' in certain teaching materials that the form +sorpoq somehow denotes that the consumed noun is particularly luxurious or delicious. However, according to the examples in both new and older dictionaries, it also happens with other nouns such as the following:

Unfortunately, this confusion about the original reason for the change of /t/ to /s/ seems to have spread amongst speakers, such that today even words that do end in a true /i/ may not assibilate /t/ to /s/. In general, you should not expect /t/ to be assibilated to /s/ on any loan words, except kaffi, kaagi, viini, whisk(e)y, but it may still happen on native words with a true /i/, such as mannik, ameq.

Conversely, because of this confusion, you may even encounter speakers, who will use the form +sor- on stems that do not end in a true /i/, because they believe that this form denotes that the speaker considers the consumed noun particularly delicious (I have for example seen pizzasorpunga). However, this usage is not (yet) official.


Meanings and examples

The affix is productive in this sense. It is usually used with food and drink in the sense 'eats/drinks N', but it may also be used with e.g. tobacco.

  • iffiartorpoq, he eats (rhye) bread
  • kaffisorpoq, he drinks coffee
    [8]

    Here we see /t/ being assibilated to /s/ because of the final /i/.

  • tiitorpoq, he drinks tea

    Here /t/ is not assibilated, even though {tiiq}N, 'tea' also ends in a true /i/ (since it is a borrowed word).

  • sikaritsitorpoq, he smokes cigarettes

    In this example, /t/ is also not assibilated to /s/, since cigaret is a loan word, even though it has here been greenlandised by suffixing an /i/. This example also illustrates the more general meaning 'consume' of this affix.

  • amersorpoq, he eats fish skin
    [8]

    From {amiq}N 'fish skin'. Here the true /i/ does assibilate /t/ to /s/.

  • mannissorpoq, he eats eggs
    [8]

    From {mannik}N 'egg'. Here the true /i/ does assibilate /t/ to /s/.

Only in certain lexicalised words, especially with means of transportation. The affix is non-productive in this sense.

  • qajartorpoq, he sails in kayak
    [8]

  • umiartorpoq, he sails (in umiaq)
    [8]


References