Details
General
| Morphemic form: | {pi}N |
| New orthography: | pi-, piit |
| Old orthography: | pe-, pît |
| Sources: | [9] |
| Combinations: | Click here |
| Variants: | {pi}V, |
| See also: | {su}N, {su}V, |
| Right sandhi: | Assibilation (t⇒s),
|
| Inflection sandhi: | Default/none,
|
| Stem type: | Vowel stem |
Description and behaviour
Form and usage:
This stem is a so-called pro-base or 'dummy-base' similar to {su}N, and it is used instead of an ordinary base to which affixes or endings can be attached.
The meaning is '(some)thing', and if used with possessive endings, the point is to express the ownership without mentioning the owned thing itself. However, often, the stem has no meaning of its own, and instead simply gives the meaning of the following morpheme, whether an affix or an ending.
As an example of this usage, consider the following exchange:
- A: kina sannateqarpa?, 'who has some tools?'
- B: sanasoq peqarpoq, 'the carpenter has'
Another possible reply for B would be sanasoq sannateqarpoq, but using {pi} instead avoids repeating sannat, since it is clear from the context which noun it replaces. See also the variant {pi}V, which has a similar function for verbal stems.
Inflection
Declension pattern:
| Declension type: | up-declined |
| Declension sandhi: | Default/none |
| Stem before consonant | Stem before vowel | Notable forms | |
|---|---|---|---|
| New orthography | pi | pi |
-
-
piit
|
| Phonemic orthography | pi | pi |
-
-
piit
|
Notes on declension:
This stem is not used in non-possessed absolutive or ergative, singular, but only in plural. We mark it as up-declined, because the plural ending is N{-it}. However, non-possessed, plural usage is rare.
The stem can be used in both singular and plural with possessive endings in any of these cases, and also in the prepositional cases (both possessed and non-possessed).
Meanings and examples
Especially with nominal endings (often possessed). However, with affixes, it often has no real meaning of its own, and is instead simply used to give the pure meaning of the attached affix.
- pia/pii, his thing(s)
[9]
Or simply 'his'.
- kiaana pia?, whose (thing) is this?
[9]
With kia, ergative singular of {ki}N and *{una}, and with absolutive 3sg/sg possessive ending on the present stem.
- uangaana piga, it is mine
[9]
From uanga, 'I', here used to emphasise the possessor, and { mref(kl/enclitic/una) }}, and with absolutive 1sg/sg possessive ending on the present stem.
- perput, our thing(s)
Or simply: 'ours'.
- peqarpoq, he has (something); there is (something)
[9]
The actual thing can also be specified in the instrumental case; e.g. qimminik peqarpoq, 'there are dogs', instead of qimmeqarpoq. The advantage of the formulation with {pi} is that it allows one to express that there are multiple dogs (because of the plural instrumental ending), whereas this is ambiguous with qimmeqarpoq which could also just mean 'there is a dog'.
- Kalaallit Nunaat kalaallit pigaat, the greenlanders own Greenland
This is the slogan used in the demonstration against the American take-over attempt. The combination with N{-gə}V is here used to give the pure meaning of this affix; namely 'own'.