Details

General

Morphemic form: V{(q)gusuk}V
New orthography: -rusuppoq, -kkusuppoq
Old orthography: -rusugpoĸ
Combinations: Click here
See also: V{yuma}V,
Left sandhi:
Default,
Right sandhi:
Default/none,
Inflection sandhi:
Default/none,
Stem type: k-stem
Diathesis: None
Valency change: Preserving
Valency:
None,

Description and behaviour

Form and usage:

The meaning of this affix is 'want to Vb'. It is similar in meaning to V{yuma}V, but perhaps signifying a little more desire ('desires to Vb') than V{yuma}V. Other meanings could be 'has an urge/desire to Vb' or 'would like to' etc.

Regarding its form, this affix has the form -rusuk- on both vowel stems and q-stems, but -kusuk- on consonant stems. To encode this behaviour, I have given this affix the form V{(q)gusuk}V, with an epenthetic (q). By the standard sandhi rules, (q) will be injected on vowel stems, and /qg/ will then merge to /r/ as usual. Thus, the behaviour of this affix can be described as regular with this form.

Historically, however, this affix derives from a morpheme {yuɣ-}, according to the Comparative Eskimo Dictionary, but with no clear explanation for how this has resulted in the modern-day form, and the r/k-alternating behaviour. Thus, the (q) in V{(q)gusuk}V does not reflect an historical phoneme, but is simply there to make the present-day form be regular.


Meanings and examples

Similar in meaning to V{yuma}V, perhaps signifying a little more desire ('desires to Vb') than V{yuma}V. Other meanings could be 'has an urge/desire to Vb' or 'would like to' etc.

  • sinikkusuppoq, he wants to sleep
  • sulerusuppoq, he wants to work

    From {suli}V + V{(q)gusuk}V + V{vuq} ⇒ /suliqgusukvuq/, illustrating the behaviour of this affix on a vowel stem: The base is a vowel stem, so the epenthetic (q) is regularly injected, and /qg/ then merge to /r/.

  • tunniukkusuppaa, he wants to give it (to someone)

    From {tunniut(ə)}V + V{(q)gusuk}V + V{vaa} ⇒ /tunniutgusukvaa/, illustrating the behaviour on a t(ə)-stem. The affix is additive, so (ə) is not inserted.


References