Details
General
| Morphemic form: | V{gunaq}V |
| New orthography: | +gunarpoq, -kkunarpoq, -runarpoq |
| Old orthography: | -gunarpoĸ, -runarpoĸ |
| Combinations: | Click here |
| See also: | V{yuknaq}V, |
| Left sandhi: | Default,
|
| 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 affix has two, related meanings:
- According to Schultz-Lorentzen [4], the meaning of this affix is '
Subjectseems/appears to be Vb'ing'. This meaning seems to be prevalent with verbs describing states of being, or continuous actions, which can be observed presently. For example: 'he seems to be strong (e.g. because he is muscular, or because he is lifting something that looks heavy)'. - With actions that have happened in the past, and which therefore are not directly observable, the meaning is instead: '
Subjectprobably Vb'ed', or 'seemingly', or 'presumably' etc. This would be the case, if the action itself was not observed, but its effects/consequences can be observed, and it therefore can be inferred that the action must have happened. For example: 'he has probably left (e.g. because he is not here now)'.
The affix is related in meaning to ??, 'probably', with which there also appears to be some entanglement, which may also be the reason for the confusion regarding its left-sandi behaviour.
Left sandhi:
According to Schultz-Lorentzen [4], this affix used to be truncative on old k-stems and t-stems, whilst still fusing /qg/ to /r/ on q-stems. Thus, this behaviour may be observed in older texts. However, according to the examples in the dictionary Oqaatsit [8], it is nowadays additive on all consonant stems. Thus e.g. with {uqnək}V, we have:
- ornigunarpâ in [4], but
- ornikkunarpaa in modern-day usage.
Here, we shall therefore record it as additive on all consonant stems, since this seems to be the present day behaviour, and merely list some examples, where it appears to have behaved truncatively in the past.
Meanings and examples
Or 'apparently'. There may also be a sense of 'undoubtedly', 'evidently' etc. This meaning seems to be with actions having occurred in the past, which were not directly observed, but which may be inferred e.g. from observing their present effects.
- aallarunarpoq, he has probably departed/left
[4]
Or: 'he has apparently travelled' (e.g. since he isn't here).
- tusarunarpaa, he has probably heard it
[4]
- ornigunarpaa, he probably came to him
[4]
From {uqnək}V,
AgentmeetsPatient. Here, the affix was used truncatively on a k-stem, but today, the form ornikkunarpaa seems to be preferred.
This meaning seems to be prevalent with states of being, which can be observed presently.
- nakuugunarpoq, he looks/seems to be strong
[4]
Or: 'he looks strong', from nakuuvoq, 'he is strong'.
- peqqigunarpoq, he looks healthy
[4]
From peqqik-, 'is healthy'. Here, the affix was used truncatively on a k-stem, but today, the form peqqikkunarpoq seems to be preferred.
- peqqiigunarpoq, he looks ill
[4]
From peqqiit-, 'is un-healthy', cf. V{-it}V. Here, the affix was used truncatively on a t-stem, but today, the form peqqiikkunarpoq seems to be preferred.
- ajunngigunarpoq, it looks/seems to be good
[4]
From ajunngit-, 'is good'. Here, the affix was used truncatively on a t-stem, but today, the form ajunngikkunarpoq seems to be preferred.
References
- [4] C.W. Schultz-Lorentzen (1958): Den Grønlandske Ordbog.
- [6] Jonathan Petersen (1967): Ordbogêraĸ.
- [8] Christian Berthelsen, Birgitte Jakobsen, Robert Petersen, Inge Kleivan & Jørgen Rischel (1997): Oqaatsit.