Details
General
| Morphemic form: | {na(j)aq}N |
| New orthography: | naaq, naat, nassat |
| Old orthography: | nâĸ, nât, nássat |
| Sources: | [22] |
| Combinations: | View list |
| Right sandhi: | /aq/ drop |
| Inflection sandhi: | Default/none, Geminating, Injection |
| Stem type(s): | Weak q-stem |
Description and behaviour
Form and usage:
The meaning of this stem is 'belly; stomach', of either human or animal. It is commonly used in plural, even though the meaning is singular, which denotes the whole of the abdomen, both outside and inside.
According to the Comparative Eskimo Dictionary [22], the reconstructed historical form is {na(ẑ)aq}, with a consonant /ẑ/, that has been dropped at some point (if it ever were present). This consonant resurfaces during inflection, where it may geminate to [cc], so we indicate it as (j) in the morphemic form recorded here.
Right sandhi:
According to Kleinschmidt [14], 'his stomach' (in plural) is nai, with the absolutive 3sg/pl ending N{-i}. This indicates that the final /aq/ may drop.
Inflection sandhi:
The stem has gemination of an unwritten consonant, here indicated as (j) in the morphemic form, which geminates to [cc]. Some newer sources [18, 21] also indicate, that the stem alternatively may inflect without gemination as a regular p-declined weak q-stem (i.e. plural naat instead of nassat). However, as that declension is regular, we do not record it here.
Inflection
Declension pattern:
| Stem type: | Weak q-stem |
| Declension type: | p-declined |
| Declension sandhi: | Geminating |
| Gemination type: | j⇒cc |
| Stem before consonant | Stem before vowel | Notable forms | |
|---|---|---|---|
| New orthography | nassa | naa | naaq, nassap, nassat, |
| Old orthography | nássa | nâ | nâĸ, nássap, nássat, |
| Phonemic orthography | najja | naa | naaq, najjap, najjat, |
Notes on declension:
This is the declension with gemination.
Meanings and examples
Of humans and animals alike. Note: The stem is normally used in plural, even with a singular meaning.
- naamineq, a piece of the belly (skin)
[14]
For example, a strip of leather made from the skin on the belly of a seal. From {na(j)aq}N + N{-minəq}N.
- nassakka, my belly/stomach
[21]
Note that the meaning is singular, even though the form is plural.