Details
General
| Morphemic form: | {su}V |
| New orthography: | sua? |
| Old orthography: | suva? |
| Sources: | [9, 11, 14] |
| Combinations: | Click here |
| Variants: | {su}N, |
| See also: | {pi}V, {pi}N, |
| Right sandhi: | Default/none,
|
| Inflection sandhi: | Default/none,
|
| Stem type: | Vowel stem |
| Diathesis: | Agentive (NPP) |
| Valency: |
Monovalent,
Divalent,
|
Description and behaviour
Form and usage:
The meaning of this stem is 'do what?'. It is a so-called pro-base and is used similar to its nominal variant {su}N to inquire about an unknown action. It is therefore mostly used in the interrogative mood, except in some fixed phrases. It can be used both monovalently and divalently, so we record it here as agentive.
This stem may in particular be used to prompt someone to repeat a word, when only a part of the word was heard, by using this stem as the base, and changing the ending to the interrogative mood. Consider, as an example, the following exchange:
- A: ilinniarusukkaluarpunga ..., 'I actually wanted to study (but...)'
- B: sorusukkaluarpit?, 'you actually wanted to do what?'
- A: ilinniarusukkaluarpunga!, 'I actually wanted to study'
In this example, A says something, but B only hears the second half of the word. B therefore repeats what he heard (-rusukkaluar-), using {su} as the base, and changes the ending from the indicative to the interrogative mood (-punga ⇒ -pit), thus prompting A to repeat the word.
Meanings and examples
Also with intransitive usage: 'Actor does what?'
- sulerpisi?, what are you (pl) about to do?
I.e. giving the pure meaning of V{-liq}V as a question.
- suniarpit?, what do you want (to do)?
I.e. giving the pure meaning of V{niaq}V as a question.
- sussaviuk?, you shall do what to/with it?
I.e. giving the pure meaning of V{ssa}V as a question, and here implying the answer is a divalent action by using a transitive ending.