Details

General

Description and behaviour

Form and usage:

The meaning of this affix is 'precisely N' or 'real(ly), exactly N' or similar. According to the Comparative Eskimo Dictionary [16], it derives from the same historical morpheme as N{-vik}N, 'real N', but unlike that affix, the present affix always has its initial consonant strengthened to [p]. Thus, there is an epenthetic /q/, which is injected whenever the affix is added to a vowel. The second component is not explained in the Comparative Eskimo Dictionary [16], but it is likely N{-aq}N, which is commonly used to derive a variant form with a more specialised meaning.

The present affix is sometimes also used on particles and even on top of endings, thus behaving like an enclitic. We record this usage separately; see *{-qviaq}. There is also a verbal variant with a related meaning; see V{(q)viaq}V and N{(q)viaq}V.

Left sandhi:

Some of the examples in Kleinschmidt [9] seem to indicate that this affix could be used truncatively, i.e. having the form N{-qviaq}N, thus always preferring the consonant /q/ in front of it. However, in Oqaatsit [14], this does not appear to be the case. Thus, we record the affix here as default (additive) with an epenthetic /q/, since this presumably reflects the present-day usage.

Right sandhi:

According to Kleinschmidt [9], the absolutive 3sg/sg possessive form of this affix may be either -rpiaa (regular) or -rpia (with aq-drop). Thus, it seems that this affix may optionally drop /aq/ before at least this ending. However, this is likely not used nowadays.

Inflection

Declension pattern:

Notes on declension:

The inflection recorded here is just the regular p-declension of a weak q-stem. We do not record the optional /aq/ drop, since it does not appear to be used regularly.

Meanings and examples