Details

General

Morphemic form: V{nəqcaq}N
New orthography: +nersaq
Old orthography: -nerssaĸ
Sources: [7]
Combinations: Click here
Constituents: V{nəq}N, N{caq}N,
Left sandhi:
Default,
ə-eliding,
Right sandhi:
Default/none,
Inflection sandhi:
Default/none,
Stem type: Weak q-stem

Description and behaviour

Form and usage:

This affix denotes 'the most Vb'ing of them'. It is an extension of superlative V{nəq}N with a morpheme N{caq}N, which historically may be the same as partitive N{taq}N, although the form here is unexplained in the Comparative Eskimo Dictionary. This form is normally only used with possessive endings, or verbalised with the 'verbal possessive' affix N{-gə}V. In either case, given the partitive meaning, it is only used with Possessor (resp. Agent) in plural, to denote the group from which the most Vb'ing member is pointed out. Thus the meaning can be rendered as

Consider the following examples:

The two constructions are very similar, but the first is a possessive noun phrase, whilst the second is a full clause (a main clause).


Left sandhi:

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


Meanings and examples

  • annersarput, the biggest of us

    With absolutive possessive 1pl/sg N{(q)vut} 'our N'.

  • illut annersaat, the biggest of the houses

    With absolutive possessive 3pl/sg N{-at}, 'their N'. The explicit Possessor is 'the houses', illut.

  • illut annersaraat, it is the biggest of the houses

    With N{-gə}V and transitive indicative 3pl/3sg V{vaat}. The Subject is 'the houses', illut, so the sentence literally means 'the houses have it as their biggest'.


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