Details

General

Morphemic form: V{ðə}N
New orthography: +ti, +si
Old orthography: -te, -teĸ, -se, -seĸ
Combinations: Click here
See also: V{ðuq}N, V{-ðaq}N, V{nəq}N,
Left sandhi:
Default,
Right sandhi:
Default/none,
Inflection sandhi:
Default/none,
Stem type: ə-stem

Description and behaviour

Form and usage:

This affix is used to create nouns from divalent stems that represent the Agent role of the verbal action. It can perhaps be compared to English -er, -or (compare 'teacher', 'helper', 'counsellor'), i.e. a 'Vb'er (of/for the Patient)'. The Patient need not be specified, but can be indicated with a possessive ending.

It is not commonly used in active production today, but it can be found it in a number of lexicalised words. It seems instead to be more common to use the intransitive participle V{ðuq}N, in combination with a HTR-morpheme to reduce the valency (e.g. ilinniartitsisoq, 'teacher', from ilinniartippaa, 'he teaches him').

Note that /ə/ always must take a sound, since if /ð/ becomes /c/ (on vowel stems), then /ə/ must take a sound because no Greenlandic word can end on the sound [c]. Likewise, if /ð/ becomes /t/ (on consonant stems), then /ə/ must again take a sound, because no Greenlandic word can end on a double consonant sound.


Inflection

Declension pattern
Declension type: p-declined
Declension sandhi: Default/none

Stem before consonant Stem before vowel Notable forms
New orthography ti ta
+ti
+tip
+tit
Phonemic orthography ðə ðə
ðə
ðəp
ðət


Meanings and examples

Or 'Vb'er', 'Vb'or' (of/for someone) etc. The Patient can be specified with a possessive ending. This morpheme is the counterpart to the passive participle, V{-ðaq}N.

  • annaassisi, (one's) saviour
    [8]

  • paarsisi, (one's) nanny
    [8]

    Or 'guardian', 'caretaker' etc.

  • perorsaasi, (one's) pedagogue
    [8]

    Or 'upbringer', i.e. the person who takes care of one's upbringing.

  • ikiorti, (one's) helper
    [8]

  • najorti, one who is with (someone)
    [8]

    From najorpaa, 'he is with him', e.g. someone who accompanies you for emotional support.

  • siunnersorti, counsellor
    [8]

    Or 'advisor', 'consultant.'

  • malitsi, (one's) follower
    [8]

    Or 'supporter', from malippaa, 'he follows him'.

  • naalatsi, (one's) subject
    [8]

    I.e. of a king, from naalappaa, 'he obeys him', so literally 'obeyer'.

  • oqalutsi, interpreter
    [8]

    From {uqaluk}V, 'speaks', so literally 'one who speaks for somebody'.

  • allatsi, (one's) writer
    [4]

  • ajoqersortaa, his teacher
    [4]

    Or rather, 'his catechist' (who often also acted as teachers in older days in Greenland). This may have connotations of a teacher in bible studies, compare ajoqi, 'catechist'. Formed with Absolutive 3.sg/sg possessive ending N{-a}.

  • ornittai, those who approached him
    [4]

    From ornippaa, 'he approaches him', and with Absolutive 3.sg/pl possessive ending N{-i}, so literally 'his approachers'. Note that this is the converse of a similar construction with the passive participle, V{-ðaq}N, i.e. ornigai (those whom he approached).

  • toqutsisaa, his killer
    [4]

    With Absolutive 3.sg/sg possessive ending N{-a}.

  • asasiga, the one who loves me
    [4]

    With Absolutive 1.sg/sg possessive ending N{-ga}, literally 'my (be)lover'.

  • asasit, with love
    [4]

    Or 'sincerely' etc., as a formulaic ending of a letter. With Absolutive 2.sg/sg possessive ending N{t}, literally 'thy lover', or 'the one who loves thee'.

  • Guutip ilagissai, God's flock
    [4]

    With Absolutive 3.sg/pl possessive ending N{-i}.

  • uppertai, his believers
    [4]

    With Absolutive 3.sg/pl possessive ending N{-i}.


References