Details
General
| Morphemic form: | {pi}V |
| New orthography: | pivoq, pivaa, pillugu, pinnagu |
| Old orthography: | pivoĸ, pivâ, pivdlugo, pínago |
| Sources: | [9, 14] |
| Combinations: | Click here |
| Variants: | {pi}N, |
| See also: | {su}V, {su}N, |
| Right sandhi: | Assibilation (t⇒s),
|
| Inflection sandhi: | Irregular,
|
| Stem type: | Vowel stem |
| Diathesis: | Agentive (NPP) |
| Valency: |
Monovalent,
Divalent,
|
Description and behaviour
Form and usage:
This stem is a so-called pro-base, which is used instead of an ordinary verbal stem as the base of a verb. It can be used similar to its nominal variant {pi}N to give the pure meaning of an affix. Thus, its basic meaning can be translated as 'do something', but besides this it also has a whole host of other, more or less specialised meanings and usages.
Inflection sandhi:
The /n/ in the negative contemporative mood marker {na} is doubled for unknown reasons. Thus we get pinnagu, pinnagit etc.
Meanings and examples
Also intransitively: 'Actor does (something)'.
This can also be used to break up a longer verb into two, with the 'auxiliary' verb containing {pi} in the contemporative mood.
- ajortumik pivaa, he treats him badly
[14]
- qanoq pivaa?, what did he do with it?
[14]
- tamaasa pivigit?, have you done (something) with them all?
[9]
Here (something) would be understood from the context to be whatever the topic of the conversation is.
- manna illit pissagit, you shall do (something) with it
[9]
Where (something) is understood from the context.
- tassa-taavali pereerpakka, I have already (a while ago) done (something) with them
[9]
Where (something) is understood from the context.
- ippassaq pisimavoq, he presumably did (something) yesterday
[9]
Where (something) is understood from the context.
- pillugu pillugu kiisa qupivoq, after many attempts, it finally split
[9]
Literally: 'doing with it, doing with it, finally it split' (e.g. a log).
- takujumagamisigut pinngilaq, najukkani takukatakkamigit tikeraarpoq, it is not because he wants to see us, but because he is tired of seeing those that he lives with, he comes to visit
[9]
The relevant phrase here is takujumagamisigut pinngilaq, literally: 'he is not (doing so) because he wants to see us', where 'doing so' then is understood to refer to the other main verb, tikeraarpoq, 'he comes to visit'. Using {pi} thus avoids repeating this verbal stem.
- asallugu pissavat, you shall (do such as to) love him
[9]
This is just a more circumstantial way of expressing the same sentiment as asassavat, 'you shall love him'.
- takujumallugu pigaluarama, indeed I did (something) want(ing) to see him
[9]
This is a more circumstantial way of expressing the same sentiment as takujumagaluarakku, 'because I (actually) wanted to see him'.
- neruttorlugu pisariaqarumaarsimavoq, it will probably be necessary to expand it
[9]
Instead of the more direct formulation: neruttortariaqarumaarsimavoq.
Only with intransitive endings.
- naluara suna pisoq, I do not know what happened
With the object clause in the participial mood and {su}N as the subject.
- qaannakkut pivoq, he perished (drowned) in kayak
[9]
I.e. 'it happened (to him) in/by kayak', here understood as 'perished/drowned'.
The place arrived at can optionally be specified in the allative case.
- Nuummut pivoq, he comes to/arrives in Nuuk
[14]
- Kalaallit Nunaannut pipput, they come to Greenland
[2]
- napparsimmavimmut pivoq, he is committed to the hospital
[14]
Literally: he comes to the hospital.
With positive transitive contemporative endings.
- Piitaq pillugu (allappunga), (I write) concerning Peter
This could be the title of an email from Peter's teacher to his parents.
- illit pillutit ullissaanga, for your sake/because of you, I will stay for the day
[9]
- qitornakka pillugit nuukkumagaluaqaanga, I would (actually) want to move for the sake of my children (but...)
[9]
- tamanna pillugu, therefore
[9]
Literally: 'for the sake of it all', cf. also pissutigalugu with V{ccutə}N + N{-gə}V.
With negative transitive contemporative endings
- tamanna pinnagu, not that one
[9]
Literally: 'all except that one'.
- uku kisiisa pinnagit tamarmik inioqqassapput, they must all be put out, except these
[9]
The relevant part here is uku kisiisa pinnagit, 'excepting these alone'.
Especially also with V{-liq}V, i.e. pilerpoq, 'he replies/says something'.
Either in the sense of 'catches an animal' or 'marries him'. Also with intransitive endings: 'Agent gets (something)'.