Details
General
| Morphemic form: | {tərijaq}N |
| New orthography: | teriaq, terissat |
| Old orthography: | teriaĸ, teríssat |
| Sources: | [22] |
| Combinations: | View list |
| Right sandhi: | Default/none |
| Inflection sandhi: | Geminating |
| Stem type(s): | Weak q-stem |
Description and behaviour
Form and usage:
According to the Comparative Eskimo Dictionary [22], this stem derives from {təʀiɣaʀ}, from {təʀiɣ}, 'game animal', and {aʀ}, cf. the affix N{-aq}N. The /ɣ/ then seems to have been weakened to /j/ in Kalaallisut, which is unwritten in this context, due to the preceding [i] sound, but which resurfaces in inflections that cause gemination.
According to Kleinschmidt [14], the word denotes 'weasel' in Labrador (i.e. Inuktitut), but in Greenland, where weasels do not exist, it is instead used to denote 'rat' or 'mouse'. Schultz-Lorentzen [17] says 'lemming', but the newer Oqaatsit dictionary [20] records it as 'mouse'.
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 | terissa | teria | teriaq, terissap, terissat, |
| Old orthography | teríssa | teria | teriaĸ, teríssap, teríssat, |
| Phonemic orthography | tərijja | tərija | tərijaq, tərijjap, tərijjat, |
Meanings and examples
In general, any small-game animal, but nowadays most commonly 'mouse' in Greenland, where neither weasels nor lemmings exist. According to Kleinschmidt, the distinction between a rat and a mouse could further be elaborated by adding N{(q)cuaq}N or N{ŋŋuaq}N, i.e. teriarsuaq for 'rat' and teriannguaq for 'mouse'.