MOFO - Details

Details

General

Morphemic form:	N{ŋŋuaq}N
New orthography:	-nnguaq
Old orthography:	'-nguaĸ
Sources:	[CBBJRPIKJR97], [CWSL58]
Combinations:	View list
Variants:	V{ŋŋuaq}V
See also:	N{-ŋucaq}N, N{-araq}N
Left sandhi:	Default
Right sandhi:	/aq/ drop
Inflection sandhi:	Weak stem, Default/none, up-declined
Stem type:	q-stem

Description and behaviour

Form and usage:

This affix is the nominal variant of V{ŋŋuaq}V, 'Vb a little'. The meaning is likewise 'little N' or 'cute N'. It is a very common affix used for endearment and in names, but rarely with plain objects (like a rock, a house, a dog etc.), unless they have some significance to the speaker. To express the plain meaning of 'small N', without the connotations of affection/dear/cute, N{-araq}N would be used instead.

It also has a special meaning when used with spatial noun stems, where it denotes 'right/just in the N'. For example 'right above', or 'just below' or similar.

Besides being very common, the affix also has an uncommon combination of sandhi rules: It is a weak q-stem, so the final /q/ drops before all consonant-initial regardless of their sandhi. However, it is also up-declined, so it takes N{-up} and {-it} endings, just like most k-stems, which is very peculiar. Lastly, it also has aq-drop before all vowel-initial endings, which therefore includes the aforementioned N{-up} and {-it}, thus giving it a very peculiar behaviour pattern.

Right sandhi:

This stem displays aq-drop before all vowel-initial endings, and also before N{-u}V. See also N{(q)cuaq}N and V{galuaq}N which behave similarly with vowel-initial endings.

Inflection

Inflection pattern:

Stem type:	q-stem
Inflection sandhi:	Weak stem, Default/none, up-declined

	Stem before consonant	Stem before vowel	Notable forms
New orthography	-nngua	-nngu	-nnguaq, -nnguup, -nnguit
Old orthography	'-ngua	'-ngu	'-nguaĸ, '-ngûp, '-nguit
Phonemic orthography	ŋŋua	ŋŋu	ŋŋuaq, ŋŋuup, ŋŋuit

Notes on inflection:

The stem is up-declined, and thus drops /aq/ before N{-up} and N{-it}, as well as before all other vowel-initial endings. Thus, with vowel-initial endings it behaves like a regular k-stem {ŋŋuk}, although this hypothetical /k/ is never seen, since all vowel-initial endings are truncative. With consonant-initial endings it behaves like an ordinary weak q-stem, i.e. the /q/ drops regardless of the left-sandhi of the ending. Thus, the stem before vowel-initial endings, including N{-up} and N{-it}, is /ŋŋu/; whereas the stem before consonant-initial endings is /ŋŋua/. Hence, the present stem is very rare, since it behaves as a weak q-stem that nevertheless is up-declined.

Meanings and examples

With connotations of cute/sweet/dear.

Tags:

Arnannguaq, sweet little woman

From {aqnaq}N, 'woman'. This is a common name.
Angutinnguaq, sweet little man

From {aŋutə}N, 'man'. This is a name.
ininnguaq, a cozy little room

From {ənə}N, 'room'. Here, N{ŋŋuaq}N adds a connotation of 'cozy' (or something similar) besides 'little', whereas iniaraq would just mean 'a small room'.
illunnguuvoq, it is a nice little house

From {əŋlu}N + N{ŋŋuaq}N + N{-u}V + V{IND.3sg}. This example illustrates that /aq/ is also dropped before N{-u}V.

With spatial nouns, to express 'right/just in the N', 'just below N' etc.