Details

General

Morphemic form: V{yuma}V
New orthography: +jumavoq, -umavoq, -kkumavoq, -rumavoq
Old orthography: -umavoĸ, -jumavoĸ
Combinations: Click here
See also: V{(q)gusuk}V,
Left sandhi:
Default,
Right sandhi:
Default/none,
Inflection sandhi:
Default/none,
Stem type: Vowel stem
Diathesis: None
Valency change: Preserving
Valency:
None,

Description and behaviour

Form and usage:

The meaning of this affix is 'want to Vb'. Other possible translations are 'will Vb' or 'would like to Vb' or 'desire to Vb'. See also V{(q)gusuk}V for a different affix with a synonymous meaning.

This affix also has a special meaning when used with contemporative endings, specifically:


Left sandhi:

Default sound rule for /y/: /y/ becomes /j/ on vowel stems (which is not written when following [i]), and /g/ on consonant stems (which is then always strengthened to [kk] or merges with /q/ to /r/). I.e., the sound rule is thus:

See the examples for instances of this rule with each of the possible stem types.

A few other affixes (and all combinations using them) have this special pattern with /y/. According to the Comparative Eskimo Dictionary, they derive from one of the following:

However, not all historically y-initial affixes display this behaviour, and it is not clear what has lead to its development. In the MOFO-morphemic form, we shall only use /y/ for the pattern described above. Hence, we shall regard this behaviour as default for y-initial morphemes, but as there are only a few of these, we note the behaviour of /y/ here.


Meanings and examples

  • sinikkumavoq, he wants to sleep

    From {sinək}V, where /ky/ ⇒ /kg/ ⇒ [kk].

  • atorumavaa, he wants to use it

    From {atuq}V, where /qy/ ⇒ /qg/ ⇒ /r/.

  • suliumavoq, he wants to work

    From {suli}V, where /iy/ ⇒ /ij/, but /j/ is then not written after [i] in the new orthography.

  • ikiumavoq, he wants to board (e.g. an aeroplane)

    From {əkə}V, where /əy/ ⇒ /əj/ ⇒ /ij/, and /j/ is not written after [i] in the new orthography.

  • takujumavaa, he wants to see it

    From {taku}V, where /uy/ ⇒ /uj/.

  • majuukkumavaa, he wants to bring it up

    From {majuut(ə)}V, where {majuut(ə)}V{yuma}V{vaa} ⇒ /majuutyumavaa/ (the affix is additive so (ə) is elided), and then /ty/ ⇒ /tg/ ⇒ [kk] as with true t-stems and k-stems.

When used with (positive) contemporative endings, i.e. -lluni, -llugu etc.; and likewise 'in order not to' with negative contemporative endings, i.e. -nani, -nagu etc.

  • tikippunga suliumallunga, I have come (in order) to work
  • takujumallugu iserpoq, he came in (in order) to see it
  • qiiajumanani parkalerpoq, he put on a parka in order not to freeze
    [9]

    Or 'to avoid freezing'. Here used with a negative contemporative ending V{nani}.


References