Details

General

Morphemic form: V{ŋŋiqcaaq}V
New orthography: -nngersaarpoq
Old orthography: '-ngerssârpoĸ
Sources: [17, 16, 19, 11]
Combinations: View list
Variants: V{ŋŋiqcaa}V
Left sandhi: Default
Right sandhi: Default/none
Inflection sandhi: Default/none
Stem type: q-stem
Diathesis: None
Valency: Preserving

Description and behaviour

Form and usage:

The meaning of this affix is 'Subject is just about to Vb'. It looks like a combination of multiple morphemes, but it is unclear what the constituents are. Schultz-Lorentzen [16] relates it to N{ŋŋiq}V, 'crave/want', but this makes no sense w.r.t. the meaning of the affix.

Schultz-Lorentzen [16] also mentions an alternative form, '-ngíssârpoĸ, but this form is not recorded in any of the other dictionaries, so we omit it here. There is also a variant form, V{ŋŋiqcaa}V, without the final /q/, which seemingly can be used interchangeably with the present affix. According to Nielsen [11], the form without the final /q/ is most common today.


Meanings and examples

  • orlunngersaarpoq, it was just about to fall [16]

    From orluvoq, 'it falls/topples'.

  • aallanngersaarput, they were just about to leave/travel [16]

    From aallarpoq, 'he travels/departs'.

  • sininngersaarpoq, he was just about to fall asleep [19]

    From sinippoq, 'he sleeps'.

  • qimaanngersaarpoq, he was just about to flee [19]

    From qimaavoq, 'he flees'.


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