Details
General
| Morphemic form: | *{mitauva} |
| New orthography: | +mitaava |
| Old orthography: | -mi tauva |
| Combinations: | Click here |
| Left sandhi: | Default,
|
Description and behaviour
Form and usage:
This enclitic is actually *{mi} followed by the particle {tauva}, which forms a fixed expression of wonder. In examples in the old orthography, the components were written separately, e.g.
- ĸanorme tauva iligalugtuaĸâ?, 'how will that go, I wonder?'
However, nowadays it is commonly written together, so we record it here as a separate enclitic.
Meanings and examples
This enclitic is also commonly used with interrogative words like qanoq, and, when used with a verb, the verbal stem will contain the affix V{niq}V which also expresses wonder.
- sumummitaava misssava?, where shall it land (I wonder)?
From sumut, '(to) where'. Here the enclitic expresses wonder/pondering about the question.
- qanormitaava iligaluttuaqaa?, how will that go, I wonder?
[4]
Example with qanoq, 'how'.
References
- [4] C.W. Schultz-Lorentzen (1958): Den Grønlandske Ordbog.
- [8] Christian Berthelsen, Birgitte Jakobsen, Robert Petersen, Inge Kleivan & Jørgen Rischel (1997): Oqaatsit.