Details
General
| Morphemic form: | V{nqək}N |
| New orthography: | -qqik |
| Old orthography: | -rĸik |
| Sources: | [9, 11] |
| Combinations: | Click here |
| Variants: | V{nqik}V, |
| Left sandhi: | Default,
|
| Right sandhi: | Default/none,
|
| Inflection sandhi: | Weakening,
|
| Stem type: | Strong q-stem |
Description and behaviour
Form and usage:
This affix appears to be a non-productive, nominal variant of V{nqik}V, albeit with two different meanings:
When used with possessive endings, it denotes 'one who is more Vb'ing than
Possessor'. Thus, this meaning is similar to the comparative meaning of V{nəq}N, which presumably also is one of the components of this affix, cf. V{nqik}V.When used without possessive endings, the meaning is 'pure N' or 'clear N', and seems to primarily be used with colours. This could also be understood as 'highly/completely N', and it is thus similar to the second meaning of V{nqik}V.
Regarding the form, Kleinschmidt and Schultz-Lorentzen [9, 11] both describe, that this affix declines with weakening, i.e. with nasalation of the final /k/ before vowel-initial endings; e.g. -qqinga with absolutive 3sg/sg N{-a}. Kleinschmidt also mentions an alternative ('provincial') usage, where the final vowel instead changes to [a] when followed by vowel, like /ə/. This is unusual, since the stem-final consonant in V{nqik}V is /i/ and not /ə/, according to the Comparative Eskimo Dictionary [16], but it might be influenced by the declension of V{nəq}N, which is used (productively) in the same sense as the present affix. Thus, it seems that the vowel in this affix has come to be interpreted as /ə/, even though this is not historically the case, and we therefore record this variant of the affix with /ə/ rather than /i/.
Inflection sandhi:
Kleinschmidt and Schultz-Lorentzen [9, 11] both describe, that this affix declines with weakening, i.e. with nasalation of the final /k/ before vowel-initial endings; e.g. -qqinga with absolutive 3sg/sg N{-a}. However, Kleinschmidt also notes that it ('provincially') may be declined as a normal k-stem, i.e. with deletion of this /k/ before vowel-initial endings, but then with a change of the final vowel to [a]. Thus -qqaa instead of -qqinga. This is even more unusual, since this also suggests that the final vowel is interpreted as /ə/, but /ə/ usually does not alternate, even when followed by a vowel. We do not record this second form of declension, since the affix is non-productive and thus rarely used, and this alternative declension is therefore even more rarely used, if used at all.
Inflection
Declension pattern:
| Declension type: | up-declined |
| Declension sandhi: | Weakening |
| Stem before consonant | Stem before vowel | Notable forms | |
|---|---|---|---|
| New orthography | -qqik | -qqing |
-qqik
-qqingup
-qqingit
|
| Phonemic orthography | nqik | nqiŋ |
nqik
nqiŋup
nqiŋit
|
Notes on declension:
This is the inflection with weakening described by Kleinschmidt and Schultz-Lorentzen [9, 11].
Meanings and examples
With possessive endings.
- angeqqinga, one who is bigger than him
[9]
From angivoq, 'he is big', with absolutive 3sg/sg N{-a}, indicating 'than him'.
- narloqqinganik taarserli, let it be exchanged for one that is straighter (than it)
[9]
From narluvoq, 'it is straight' and taarserpaa, 'he exchanges it', used intransitively (in a passive sense, 'it is exchanged') with the optative 3sg ending V{li}, 'let it'. The replacement is then indicated in the instrumental case, here possessive instrumental 3sg/sg N{-anək}. The
Possessorand theSubjecthere refer to the same thing/person, so perhaps the 4th person could also have been used. In any case, the literal translation is: 'let it be replaced by its straighter', i.e. 'with something that is straighter than it'.
Never with possessive endings. This could also be understood as 'highly/completely N'.
- sungaaqqik, pure yellow
[9]
From sungaarpoq, 'it is yellow', and sungaartoq, '(the colour) yellow'.
- tungujoqqik, pure/clear blue
[11]
From tungujorpoq, 'it is blue', and tungujortoq, '(the colour) blue'.