Details
General
| Morphemic form: | N{si}V |
| New orthography: | +sivoq, +sivaa |
| Old orthography: | -sivoĸ, -sivâ |
| Sources: | [11, 14, 8] |
| Combinations: | Click here |
| Left sandhi: | Default,
|
| Right sandhi: | Assibilation (t⇒s),
|
| Inflection sandhi: | Default/none,
|
| Stem type: | Vowel stem |
| Diathesis: | Reflexive (BP) |
| Valency: |
Divalent,
|
Description and behaviour
Form and usage:
This affix can be used both transitively and intransitively according to Kleinschmidt, Schultz-Lorentzen, and Nielsen [9, 11, 8]. However, the intransitive usage is by far the most common today. Thus, we have two general meanings:
'
Agentbuys/gets/finds N for/w.r.t.Patient'. This is the transitive usage. It seems to primarily be in cases where the incorporated noun is owned by another person (who then is expressed as thePatientof the divalent stem), i.e. 'AgentfindsPatient's N' or 'Agentfinds N of/for thePatient'. This usage is thus reminiscent of the verbal possessive affix N{-gə}V.'
Agentbuys/gets/finds N (for himself)'. This is the intransitive usage, and it appears without the use of a HTR-morpheme. The affix could therefore be interpreted as agentive, but because of the meanings of some combinations, which are derived from this morpheme, I believe it is better understood as reflexive. The intransitive usage then equates theAgentandPatient, and its meaning therefore becomes 'Agent=Patientfinds/acquires N for himself'.
For both the transitive and intransitive usages, there are then a further subdivision of the meaning, indicated as 'buy/get/find'. Kleinschmidt [9] defines it thus:
- 'gets an N to own', either bought or as a gift;
- 'gets an N in sight', i.e. 'sees/meets/encounters an N';
and when used transitively: 'gets, sees, encounters etc. his N', i.e. the Patient's N appears before the Agent.
He further adds that it is only in combination with N{kcaq}N, that the meaning becomes 'gets/acquires/finds an N for Patient'.
However, some examples in Nielsen [8] indicates that this may not be the case today, so the meaning 'for Patient' may also appear without N{kcaq}N.
Meanings and examples
Or 'acquires'. This is the usual meaning of this affix with intransitive usage.
- meqqutisivoq, he buys needle(s)
[14]
- mitersivoq, he buys eider duck(s)
[14]
- neqisivoq, he buys some meat
[14]
- nerrivissivoq, he acquires a table
[14]
- innersivoq, he acquires some fire
[11]
In the sense of 'fetches it' from someone else.
- tunnissutisivoq, he gets a gift/present
[11]
This could either be in the sense of 'he is given a gift' or 'he buys a gift' (for someone else).
Or 'finds', 'meets' etc. This is a less common meaning of this affix.
- aputisivoq, he spots some snow
[14]
- inussivoq, he encounters some people
[14]
- qimmersivoq, he encounters a dog
[14]
Note: this could also mean 'he buys a dog', in the other sense of this affix.
- tumisivoq, he finds some footprints
[14]
This meaning, with transitive usage, is not common nowadays.
- tumisivaa, he finds his footprints
[11]
I.e., 'he finds the footprints of him'.
- inissarsivaa, he finds a place/room for him
[11]
I.e., 'he finds a future room of (for) him'.
- atersivaa, he learns his name
[11]
I.e. 'he acquires the name of him'.
- oqaasersivaa, he finds a word for it
[8]
From oqaaseq, 'word'.
Possibly mainly following N{kcaq}N according to Kleinschmidt [9], but not exclusively.
- inissarsivaa, he gets/finds/acquires a place for him
[9]
From ini, 'room' or 'place (to stay)', and with N{kcaq}N.
- sikusinnga!, buy me an ice cream!
[11]
From siku, 'ice', and with the transitive imperative 2sg/1sg ending V{kŋa}. Note that N{kcaq}N does not appear here, but the meaning is still 'for
Patient'.