Details

General

Morphemic form: V{-it}V
New orthography: -ippoq, -appoq, -ik!, -ak!
Old orthography: -ípoĸ
Combinations: Click here
Variants: N{-it}V,
See also: V{ŋŋit}V,
Left sandhi:
Truncative,
/aq/ deleting,
Right sandhi:
Assibilation (t⇒s),
tð⇒ts,
Inflection sandhi:
Default/none,
Stem type: t-stem
Diathesis: None
Valency change: Preserving
Valency:
None,

Description and behaviour

Form and usage:

This affix is only used with adjectival bases (describing a state of being corresponding to a quality), where it produces a new stem with the opposite meaning, similar to English prefix 'un-' or 'in-' etc. It is thus not very productive, but it is found in many lexicalised adjectival stems.

The affix may also be used in an exclamatory fashion without any verbal ending, e.g. similar to the exclamation 'beautiful!' (instead of a full clause 'it is beautiful'). In such cases, the final consonant is pronounced as [k] rather than [t], so such words are written as ending in -ik!, -ak!.


Left sandhi:

The affix is truncative. In some lexicalised constructions, it also appears to have deleted a final /aq/ from the preceding stem, although this does not seem to be regular nowadays.


Right sandhi:

This affix is a true t-stem, which, in combination with intransitive participial mood marker {ðu}, and intransitive participle V{ðuq}N, will yield 'ts' from the combination /tð/. This feature is then inherited by every stem derived with this affix.


Meanings and examples

Only used with adjectival bases. It produces a new stem with the opposite meaning.

  • maniippoq, it is uneven

    From manippoq, 'it is even'. With intransitive participle V{ðuq}N we thus get Maniitsoq, 'something that is uneven' (name of a town).

  • arriippoq, it is slow

    From arrivoq, 'it is fast'. Thus we also get e.g. arriitsumik, 'slowly'.

  • tusarniippoq, it sounds bad

    From tusarnerpoq, 'it sounds good/has a pleasant sound'.

  • pinniippoq, she is ugly

    From pinnerpoq, 'she is beautiful'. For the exclamation, we then get pinniik!, 'ugly!'. Note how the final consonant is spelt (and pronounced) as [k], rather than [t].

  • alianaak!, wonderful!

    From alianarpoq, 'it is sad/tragic'. Note how the final consonant is spelt (and pronounced) as [k], rather than [t].


References