Details

General

Morphemic form: V{-ŋajakcaa}V
New orthography: -ngajassaa
Old orthography: -ngajagssâvoĸ
Sources: [17, 19, 11]
Combinations: View list
Constituents: V{-ŋajak}V + ?
Left sandhi: Truncative
Right sandhi: Default/none
Inflection sandhi: Default/none
Stem type: Vowel stem
Diathesis: None
Valency: Preserving

Description and behaviour

Form and usage:

According to Nielsen [11], the meaning of this affix is 'Subject is repeatedly/all the time just about to Vb'. It is composed of V{-ŋajak}V, denoting 'almost', and another morpheme {caa} of unclear origin, which supposedly denotes 'repeatedly/all the time'. However, this latter meaning is not easy to see in the examples in Oqaatsit [19], and it is not clear what Nielsen bases his translation on. Thus, it may be spurious.


Meanings and examples

Maybe with an element of 'repeatedly/all the time'.

  • anillangajassaavoq, he was just about to get out/escape (of/from something) [19]

    From anillappoq, 'he gets out/escapes'.

  • siningajassaavoq, he was just about to fall asleep [19]

    From sinippoq, 'he sleeps'.

  • uppingajassaavoq, it can fall at any time; it stands unsafely/shakily [19]

    From uppippoq, 'it falls over'.


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