Details

General


Morphemic form: V{-(cc)ut(ə)}V
New orthography: -uppaa, -appaa, -ssuppaa, -ussivoq, -assivoq, -ssussivoq
Old orthography: -úpâ, -ússivoĸ
Combinations: Click here
Variants: V{ccut(ə)}V, V{'-t(ə)}V,
See also: V{-(cc)utə}N, V{kkut(ə)}V,
Left sandhi:
Truncative,
/aq/ deleting,
Right sandhi:
t(ə) sandhi,
Inflection sandhi:
Default/none,
Stem type: t(ə)-stem
Diathesis: Reflexive
Valency change: Increasing
Valency:
Divalent,
HTR morpheme:
ði,
HTR stem: -(cc)ucci,

Description and behaviour


Form and usage:

This affix is presumably related to the nominalising affix V{-(cc)utə}N, but exactly how (in terms of meaning) is not clear. The general meaning is 'do with/for', but it works opposite to the other valency-increasing affixes in that it adds a new Patient role to the relation (rather than a new Agent role):

When used with intransitive endings, the result may be reflexive (he Vb's with/for himself) or, if the ending is plural, reciprocal (they Vb with/for each other). However, this only makes sense if the subject of the verb is a person; if it is a thing the meaning may instead be resultative passive (subject is Vb'ed).


Left sandhi:

This affix will regularly remove a stem-final /aq/ from the preceding stem if possible, i.e. if the stem ends on /Vaq/. If the stem ends on /Caq/, it may just remove the final /q/ as an ordinary truncative affix. Alternatively, it may instead join directly onto /q/ and just weaken it to /r/, thus:

This behaviour is probably not regular, but it may be seen in some lexicalised constructions (see examples). The same may happen, if the stem ends on /əq/, to avoid triggering the ə-rule (similar to vowel-initial endings on strong q-stems ending in /əq/), thus:

Alternatively, it may remove /q/ and actually cause /ə/ to take the sound [a]. Neither behaviour seems to be regular today, but may be seen in lexicalised examples.

Otherwise, the affix is regularly truncative. However, in the cases where an epenthetic /j/ otherwise would be injected for phonotactic reasons (e.g. following /aa/), this affix seems to instead prefer the variant V{ccut(ə)}V, i.e. injecting /cc/ instead of regular /j/.


Right sandhi:

This affix, together with its many variants, is presumably the source of all t(ə)-stems in Greenlandic. They all share some peculiar features, in particular w.r.t. their right-sandhi behaviour: They behave like t-stems (consonant stem) before additive affixes and endings, but as vowel stems (ə-stem) before truncative affixes and endings. This also includes t-truncative affixes, in particular V{tət}V.

As an example, consider the additive affix V{ðaq}V, the truncative affix V{ssa}V, and the aforementioned V{tət}. Combining with V{-(cc)ut(ə)}V regularly yields the following:

Another speciality of t(ə)-stems is that their HTR-form is always -ssivoq. This is the tell-tale sign of an underlying (ə), and thus they may always be recognised, even in a dictionary like the DAKA, if the HTR-form is provided: If the transitive form looks like a consonant stem, i.e. with a transitive ending -ppaa, but the HTR-form is -ssivoq, then it is a t(ə)-stem. All t(ə)-stems take the HTR-morpheme {ði}, and /ð/ becomes /c/ because of the preceding vowel, /ə/. However, for unknown reasons, /ə/ is then elided, and /c/ then assimilates the preceding /t/, which is also uncommon, since /tc/ usually yields 'ts'. Thus:

In the case of V{-(cc)ut(ə)}V + {ði}, the result is therefore -ussi(voq).

There is also a similar speciality when a t(ə)-stem is combined with the passive participle V{-ðaq}V: In that case, the truncativity of V{-ðaq}V seemingly makes (ə) appear, such as to cause /ð/ to become /c/, but then /ə/ is nevertheless still elided. Then /tc/ assimilate to /cc/, rather than becoming 'ts', so the final result is -ssaq. This is a common sign of an underlying (ə). The process is thus:

In the case of V{-(cc)ut(ə)}V + V{-ðaq}N, the result is therefore -ussaq.


Inflection sandhi:

There are no special inflection sandhi phenomena besides the general right-sandhi behaviour for t(ə)-stems. Almost all verb endings are additive, so they elide (ə) and are added to /t/. Hence e.g.

Only a few imperative endings are truncative: V{-git}, V{-guk} and V{kŋa}, and they will instead join onto /ə/, as expected. Hence e.g.


Meanings and examples


When the stem is monovalent but contains some notion of an object, e.g. an incorporated noun.

  • imertaappaa, he fetches water for him

    From imertarpoq, 'he fetches water'.

Or 'at/with respect to' the Patient.

  • aggiuppaa, he comes with it

    From aggerpoq, 'he comes'.

  • majuuppaa, he brings it up

    I.e., 'he goes up with it', from majuarpoq, 'he goes up/ascends', with drop of final /aq/ from the stem.

  • pigaappaa, he watches over him

    From pigaarpoq, 'he holds a vigil', with drop of final /aq/ from the stem.

  • oqaluuppaa, he speaks with him

    From oqaluppoq, 'he speaks'.

  • kalaallisut oqaluutinnga!, speak (thou) Greenlandic with me!

    With transitive imperative 2.sg/1.sg ending V{kŋa}; one of the few truncative verbal endings, which illustrates that (ə) also appears before truncative endings and not only truncative affixes.

  • kamaappaa, he is angry at him

    From kamappoq, 'he is angry'.

  • aallaruppaa, he brings it with him

    From aallarpoq, 'he departs', so literally 'he departs with it'. Note: This word is irregularly formed, because the stem ends on /laq/, so /aq/ cannot be removed. Instead, the affix joins onto /q/ and weakens it to /r/.

With trivalent stems that have an implicit Object role (referenced in the Instrumental case). V{-(cc)ut(ə)}V switches the Patient and the Object roles, so the Object now appears as a role that may be marked explicit in the ending, and the former Patient may now optionally be indicated in the allative case.

  • allagaq (Piitamut) nassiuppaa, he sends the letter (to Peter)

    From nassippaa, 'he sends him (something)'. Thus, the same meaning could also be expressed without V{-(cc)ut(ə)}V as Piitaq (allakkamik) nassippaa, 'he sends Peter (a letter)', but here the focus is on Peter, whereas in the sentence with V{-(cc)ut(ə)}V focus is on the letter.

  • nassiussaq, a sending

    Literally 'something that is sent', from nassippaa + V{-(cc)ut(ə)} + passive participle V{-ðaq}N.

  • allagaq (Piitamut) tunniuppaa, he gives the letter (to Peter)

    From tunivaa, 'he gives him (something)'. Thus, the same meaning could also be expressed without V{-(cc)ut(ə)}V as Piitaq (allakkamik) tunivaa, 'he gives (a letter) to Peter'. Note that V{-(cc)ut(ə)}V irregularily causes gemination of /n/ in the stem in this word, although the variant V{-(cc)ut(ə)}V is not normally geminating (for the geminating variant, see V{'-t(ə)}V).

When used intransitively without HTR, and with endings in plural. Thus, this affix may be used to make a stem reflexive, if it does not inherently have reflexive diathesis.

  • assortuupput, they contradict each other

    From assortorpaa, 'he contradicts him'.

  • saqitsaapput, they argue with each other

    From saqitsaappaa, 'he argues with him'. Note: this stem already contains V{-(cc)ut(ə)}V, so this example directly illustrates the effect of replacing the transitive ending with an intransitive ending.

  • isaapput, they enter together (in a group)

    From {isəq}V, 'Actor enters'. In this (non-standard, lexicalised) example, the combination /isəut(ə)/ has caused the stem-internal /ə/ to become [a] by the schwa-rule. The ending is plural, so the meaning is reciprocal, or 'in group', rather than reflexive.


References