Details

General

Morphemic form: V{-aqcuk}V
New orthography: -arsuppoq, -varsuppoq
Old orthography: -arssugpoĸ, -jarssugpoĸ
Combinations: Click here
Variants: N{-aqcuk}N,
Left sandhi:
Truncative,
Irregular,
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:

This affix is a verbal variant of the nominal affix N{-arcuk}N, with a somewhat related meaning: 'Vb half-heartedly', maybe with connotations of 'poorly/badly', thus matching the nominal variant.

According to the examples from DAKA, there seems to be a preference for injecting /v/ following a single /a/ (besides the regular epenthetic injection of /v/). However, this does not seem to happen regularly (e.g. sanaarsuppoq is a counter-example), so it seems to be optional rather than required. Thus, we do not record the form as V{-(v)aqcuk}V.

Furthermore, the examples given in Schultz-Lorentzen (1958) indicate a quite different behaviour: Here, the affix instead seems to (almost) always have an initial /j/, thus suggesting the form instead should be V{-jaqcuk}V (but sanârssugpoĸ is also mentioned here, so it is again a counter-example, albeit it could then be viewed as an irregularity). However, this behaviour does not seem to be used at all today. Thus we record the old-orthography forms under examples for historical purposes, but retain the morphemic form as V{-arcuk}V without an epenthetic consonant.


Meanings and examples

Or 'weakly', 'insignificantly' etc.

  • qungujuarsuppoq, he smiles half-heartedly
    [8]

  • sanaarsuppoq, he is doing a bad job of making (something)
    [8]

    I.e., 'he makes/processes (something) half-heartedly/unskilfully'.

  • takkutiarsuppoq, he makes an appearance (without really wanting to)
    [8]

    From takkuppoq, i.e. {takkut(ə)}V, a t(ə)-stem. This illustrates that the affix attaches to /ə/, as expected since it is truncative, but /ə/ does not become [a].

  • illavarsuppoq, he laughs half-heartedly
    [8]

  • inequnavarsuppoq, he is actually quite sweet
    [8]

    From inequnarpoq, 'he is sweet'. In this example, /v/ is irregularly injected, even though it is not required by phonotactics. It is not clear why.

  • takujarssugpâ, he sees it faintly
    [4]

    Old orthography example with injection of /j/. New orthography presumably takuarsuppaa.

  • issigiarssugpâ, he sees it faintly
    [4]

    From isigaa, i.e. a ə-stem, so seemingly again with injection of /j/ (which is not written following [i]). New orthography presumably isigi(v)arsuppaa.

  • tusajarssugpâ, he hears it faintly
    [4]

    Old orthography example with injection of /j/. New orthography presumably tusa(v)arsuppaa.

  • maliarssugpoĸ, there are insignificant waves
    [4]

    I.e. when describing the sailing conditions. New orthography maliarsuppoq.


References