Details

General

Morphemic form: V{-rijaq}N
New orthography: -riaq, -rissat
Old orthography: -iaĸ
Sources: [14, 11]
Combinations: Click here
See also: V{(v)vik}N,
Left sandhi:
Truncative,
Right sandhi:
Default/none,
Inflection sandhi:
Geminating,
Stem type: Weak q-stem

Description and behaviour

Form and usage:

The meaning of this affix is somewhat obscure; something like 'place/thing where one must Vb'. It is no longer used productively; instead V{(v)vik}N would be used in this sense nowadays. However, it is found in a number of lexicalised combinations, even sometimes also following a noun stem.

The affix may even appear as {gijaq} in a few of these lexicalisations, e.g. pattagiaq, 'church organ'. The verbal base here is {pattak}V, 'to play the organ' (by striking the keys), so it may be that the g-initial form is/was used on old k-stems (also written with g in the old orthography, i.e. pátagpoĸ).


Inflection sandhi:

The unwritten /j/ geminates to /jj/, which is devoiced to [cc].


Inflection

Declension pattern
Declension type: p-declined
Declension sandhi: Geminating
Gemination type: j⇒cc

Stem before consonant Stem before vowel Notable forms
New orthography -rissa -ria
-riaq
-rissap
-rissat
Phonemic orthography -rijja -rija
-rijaq
-rijjap
-rijjat


Meanings and examples

The affix is not productive and the meaning is somewhat obscure.

  • ateriaq, place where one must descend [14]

    From aterpoq, 'he goes down'

  • sangoriaq, turn [14]

    A turn in a road, i.e. a place where one must make a turn, from sanguvoq, 'he makes a turn'.

  • majo(ra)riaq, place where one must ascend [11]

    From majorpoq, 'he goes up'. Note: Schultz-Lorentzen (1958) has majorariaq, whereas Oqaatsits (1997) has just majoriaq with this meaning.

  • sermersioriaa, (its) place where one must cross the glacier [11]

    I.e., 'here one must cross the glacier'. With ABS 3sg/sg possessive ending N{-a}.

  • naloraariaq, ford

    The place where one must ford a river, from naloraarpoq, 'he fords a body of water'.