Details

General

Morphemic form: N{-kit}V
New orthography: -kippoq, -kitsoq
Old orthography: -kípoĸ
Sources: [CBBJRPIKJR97], [CWSL58], [FAJN19]
Combinations: View list
See also: N{tu}V
Left sandhi: Truncative
Right sandhi: tð⇒ts
Inflection sandhi: Default/none
Stem type: t-stem
Diathesis: Subjective
Valency: Monovalent

Description and behaviour

Form and usage:

This affix means 'Actor has (a) small N' or 'Actor has few N', i.e. denoting a lack of size (in number or quantity, depending on context). It may be related to N{-it}V, 'is without N', although the relation is unclear according to the Comparative Eskimo Dictionary [MFSJLK10].


Right sandhi:

Note that this is a true t-stem, so with the intransitive participle V{ðuq}N and endings in the intransitive participial mood (mood marker {ðu}), /tð/ will not assimilate fully but instead yield 'ts'.


Meanings and examples

As usual, the incorporated noun has no number, so it can be either singular or plural.

  • imakippoq, it only contains a little

    From imaq, 'content', so literally 'it has small contents'.

  • isigakippoq, he has small feet

    From isigak, 'foot'.

  • isikippoq, he has small eyes
  • akikitsoq, (something that is) cheap

    Lexicalised, from aki, 'price', thus literally 'something with a small price'. The example also illustrates the 'ts' form with intransitive participle V{ðuq}N.

  • qanikippoq, he has a small mouth
  • oqarpoq qanikitsunga, he said I have a small mouth

    Illustrating the 'ts' form with the intransitive participial mood.

  • ikinngutikippoq, he has few friends [CWSL58]

    In this case, the meaning must be 'few', rather than 'small'. If the intention was to simply express 'he has small friends', this affix would not be used.


Search the corpus for further examples.


Tags

References