Details
General
| Morphemic form: | {aqviqsanəq}N |
| New orthography: | arfersaneq, arfersarngat |
| Old orthography: | arfersaneĸ, arfersarnat |
| Sources: | [13, 17, 16] |
| Combinations: | View list |
| Constituents: | {aqvak}N + N{-li}V + ? + V{nəq}N |
| Right sandhi: | Default/none |
| Inflection sandhi: | Weakening, Metathesis |
| Stem type(s): | Strong q-stem, Strong q-stem |
Description and behaviour
Form and usage:
This stem denotes the number 16. It is only used for counting. For the quantity, which is used for naming anything consisting of 16 parts (e.g. years, months, days), see {aqviqsanələk}N. Note that this number is singular, even though the meaning is plural; thus, the stem is used with singular endings, e.g. arfersanermut.
According to the Comparative Eskimo Dictionary [21], this stem is derived from {aqvak}N, 'edge of the hand', similar to {aqvinəq}N, but the source of the /qsa/ segment is unexplained.
Right sandhi:
Right sandhi is inherited from the right-most component, V{nəq}N. See this for details.
Inflection sandhi:
Inflection sandhi is inherited from the right-most component, V{nəq}N. See this for details.
Meanings and examples
The number is singular and is used with singular endings.
- immikkoortut arfersarngat, sixteenth chapter
I.e. chapter 16. Note that the possessor immikkoortut 'chapters' is plural, but the possessive ending is singular (absolutive 3pl/sg). Thus, the literal translation is 'the chapters' sixteenth'.
- novembarip (ulluisa) arfersarnganni, on the 16th of November
Literally 'November's days' sixteenth'. Note that ulluisa, 'days'' (ergative 3sg/pl), is often omitted, even though the ending on arfersaneq is still plural.