Details

General

Morphemic form: V{(q)qutə}N
New orthography: +qut, -qqut
Old orthography: -ĸut, -rĸut
Combinations: Click here
Variants: N{-qutə}N,
See also: N{-qutə}N, V{-(cc)utə}N,
Left sandhi:
Default,
Irregular,
Right sandhi:
Default/none,
Inflection sandhi:
Default/none,
Stem type: tə-stem

Description and behaviour

Form and usage:

This affix is a variant of V{-(cc)utə}N with seemingly the same meaning, i.e. 'tool/means to Vb'. Kleinschmidt (1871) explains it as: 'something whereby the Subject of the stem is brought to be thus'. It does not seem to be used much productively, since V{-(cc)utə}N would normally be preferred in productive use, and it may indeed simply be an alternative form of {utə} generalised from uvular bases.


Left sandhi:

This affix is listed in Oqaatsit (1997) as additive, even though q-initial affixes are normally always truncative. Furthermore, there are some examples of lexicalised words formed with this affix, where it indeed seems to have joined onto the preceding stem in a truncative fashion, i.e. with the form {-qutə}. For example kigaaqut from {kəgait}V and ajoqut from {ajuq}V.

However, most of the examples and lexicalised words seem to suggest that the affix is additive and with epenthetic doubling of the initial consonant. This is most clearly seen in peqqut from the dummy base {pi}V. Thus, we shall here record the form as V{(q)qutə}N, and simply note that some words seem to have been formed with {-qutə} instead, as there does not seem to be a clear pattern to when either form is used.


Inflection

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

Stem before consonant Stem before vowel Notable forms
New orthography qquti qquta
qqut
qqutip
qqutit
Phonemic orthography (q)qutə (q)qutə
(q)qutə
(q)qutəp
(q)qutət


Meanings and examples

Kleinschmidt (1871) explains it as: 'something whereby the Subject of the stem is brought to be thus'.

  • ajoqut, handicap; deformity; disability; injury
    [4]

    From ajorpoq, 'it is bad; broken; out of order'. Note that this is lexicalised and formed with the truncative form {-qutə}, rather than the additive form.

  • nalunaaqqut, mark; sign
    [4]

    From nalunaarpoq, 'he announces something', so presumably 'a means/reason to inform someone of something'.

  • puttaqut, life vest
    [13]

    From puttavoq 'it keeps itself floating'. Note that this is lexicalised and formed with the truncative form {-qutə}, rather than the epenthetic form with /(q)q/.

  • kigaaqut, brake (e.g. in a car)
    [8]

    From kigaappoq, 'it is slow'. Note that this is lexicalised and formed with the truncative form {-qutə}, rather than the additive form.

  • qaammaqqut, something to give light (e.g. a flashlight)
    [8]

    From qaammarpoq, 'it has become light'.


References