Details
General
| Morphemic form: | V{-ucaq}V |
| New orthography: | -usarpoq, -asarpoq, -jusarpoq |
| Old orthography: | -ussarpoĸ |
| Combinations: | Click here |
| Variants: | V{-ucaaq}V, N{-ucaaq}V, N{-ucaaq}N, N{-ucaq}N, |
| Left sandhi: | Truncative,
|
| Right sandhi: | Default/none,
|
| Inflection sandhi: | Default/none,
|
| Stem type: | q-stem |
| Diathesis: | None |
| Valency change: | Preserving |
| Valency: | None,
|
Description and behaviour
Form and usage:
This is one of a group of affixes, which are all related either by origin or meaning:
- V{-ucaq}V, 'is semi-verbing',
- N{-ucaq}N, 'something resembling N',
- N{-ucaaq}N, 'something resembling N',
- N{-ucaaq}V, 'act like N',
- V{-ucaaq}V, 'keep on Vb'ing'.
According to the Comparative Eskimo Dictionary, they derive from two different morphemes, which however presumably are related:
- {ŋ(ŋ)uðaʀ(-)}, which is the source of N{-ucaq}N and N{-ucaaq}N,
- {ŋuðaʀaʀ-}, which is the source of V{-ucaq}V, N{-ucaaq}V, and V{-ucaaq}V.
Meanings and examples
Or 'more or less Vb'ing'. From the examples, it seems to be used only with stems describing a state of being.
- ajuusarpoq, it is semi-bad
From ajorpoq, 'it is bad'.
- paniusarpoq, it is semi-dry
From panerpoq, 'it is dry'.
- qeriusarpoq, it is semi-frozen
From qerivoq, 'it is frozen'.
References
- [4] C.W. Schultz-Lorentzen (1958): Den Grønlandske Ordbog.
- [8] Christian Berthelsen, Birgitte Jakobsen, Robert Petersen, Inge Kleivan & Jørgen Rischel (1997): Oqaatsit.