Details
General
| Morphemic form: | {uqausiq}N |
| New orthography: | oqaaseq, oqaatsit |
| Old orthography: | oĸauseĸ, oĸautsit |
| Sources: | [13, 17, 16, 19] |
| Combinations: | View list |
| Constituents: | {uqaq}V + V{-usiq}N |
| Right sandhi: | Default/none |
| Inflection sandhi: | Geminating |
| Stem type(s): | Weak q-stem |
Description and behaviour
Form and usage:
The general meaning of this stem is 'word'.
With possessive endings it can also mean: 'the word(s) (said by) Possessor'.
With a possessive ending, and a Possessor indicating a group/people, it also means 'language'.
For example: Kalaallit oqaasii, 'the Language of the Greenlanders', literally 'the words of the Greenlanders'.
Inflection sandhi:
Inflection sandhi is inherited from the right-most component, V{-usiq}N. See this for details.
Meanings and examples
Also, with possessive endings: 'what Possessor said'.
- oqaasii issuaannarpakka, I just repeat what he said
[13]
Literally: 'I just repeat his words'.
With possessive endings, and a noun representing a group as Possessor.
- kalaallit oqaasii, the Greenlandic Language; the Language of the Greenlanders
This is the official name of the language, whereas kalaallisut is the attribute form (compare 'The Greenlandic Language' vs. 'Greenlandic').