Details

General

Morphemic form: V{nəkit}V
New orthography: +nikippoq
Old orthography: -nikípoĸ
Combinations: Click here
Constituents: V{nəq}N, N{-kit}V,
See also: V{nəqtu}V,
Left sandhi:
Default,
ə-eliding,
Right sandhi:
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 a straightforward combination of the abstract participle V{nəq}N and N{-kit}V, and it functions as a verbal variant of the latter, meaning 'Subject Vb a little', or 'to a low/small degree' etc. There may also be an element of 'characteristically' or 'habitually', i.e. that it is somehow typical or characteristic of the subject to only Vb to such a low degree.

See also the related construction V{nəqtu}V formed with N{tu}V, which is the antonym of N{-kit}V, and with a corresponding, opposite meaning of the present affix.

For both this, and the present affix, there are also a few, irregularly formed examples without V{nəq}V, where the affix N{tu}V resp. N{-kit}V seems to have been added directly to the verbal stem. In these constructions, the affix also seems to have caused gemination in the preceding stem, which could indicate that there is another (nominalising) morpheme present, although it is unclear which one that might be. The examples mentioned by Kleinschmidt [13] and Schultz-Lorentzen ?? are:

This formation does not seem to be regular or productively used, so we shall not encode it in the behaviour of these affixes.


Left sandhi:

Left sandhi is inherited from the left-most component, V{nəq}N. See this for details.


Right sandhi:

Right sandhi is inherited from the right-most component, N{-kit}V. See this for details.


Meanings and examples

There may also be an element of 'characteristically' or 'habitually' to this meaning.

  • allornikippoq, he (characteristically) takes small steps
    [13]

    From allorpoq, 'he takes a step'.

  • tunnganikippoq, it rests on a small foundation
    [13]

    From tunngavoq, 'it rests on a firm foundation'. Hence, this may also be understood as: 'it only barely rests on the foundation', e.g. because the contact surface between the Subject and the foundation is very small. Think e.g. of an inverted pyramid balancing on its tip.

  • atanikippoq, it is only barely attached (to something)
    [13]

    I.e., only a small amount of material connects the Subject to the rest. Think e.g. of a sleeve, that has nearly been torn off a shirt, and now is ranging on by only a few threads or a tiny piece of cloth. the word is from atavoq, 'it is attached (to something)'


References