Details

General

Morphemic form: {aqvinəq}N
New orthography: arfineq, arferngat
Old orthography: arfineĸ, arfernat
Sources: [SK71], [JP67], [CWSL58], [CBBJRPIKJR97], [CWSL51]
Combinations: View list
Constituents: {aqvak}N + N{-li}V + V{nəq}N
Right sandhi: Default/none
Inflection sandhi: Metathesis
Stem type(s): Strong q-stem

Description and behaviour

Form and usage:

This stem denotes the number 6. It is only used for counting and telling the time. Note that this number is singular, even though the meaning is plural; thus, the stem is used with singular endings, e.g. arfinermut.

For the quantity, which is used for naming anything consisting of 6 parts (e.g. years, months, days), see {aqvinələk}N.

Etymology:

According to the Comparative Eskimo Dictionary [MFSJLK10], this stem is derived from {aqvak}N, 'edge of the hand', and N{-li}V which has caused the final /VC/ to drop, together with the initial /l/, and then finally followed by V{nəq}N. Thus, the literal meaning seems to be something like 'the act of making it the hand-edge'. The meaning 6 seems to be related to counting fingers; maybe 'hand-edge' here represents 'the first finger on the second hand', and 5+1=6. This also explains why the number is singular.


Right sandhi:

Right sandhi is inherited from the right-most component, V{nəq}N. See this for details.


Inflection sandhi:

The possessive endings are used to form the ordinal numbers, and these are declined with metathesis. As usual, /qn/ can be spelt 'rn', or the combination may become [NN] (nasal uvular), spelt 'rng'.


Inflection

Declension pattern:

Stem type: Strong q-stem
Declension type: up-declined
Declension sandhi: Metathesis
Metathesis type: Cəq⇒qn or qŋ

Stem before consonant Stem before vowel Notable forms
New orthography arfiner arferng arfineq, arferngup, arferngit
Old orthography arfiner arferng arfineĸ, arferngup, arferngit
Phonemic orthography aqvinəq aqviqn aqvinəq, aqviqnup, aqviqnit


Meanings and examples

The number is singular and is used with singular endings.

  • arfinermut, at 6 o'clock

    Note the singular ending is used (as is also the case with ataaseq, aqqaneq, arfersaneq).

  • immikkoortut arferngat, sixth chapter

    I.e. chapter 6. Note that the possessor immikkoortut 'chapters' is plural, but the possessive ending is singular (absolutive 3pl/sg). Thus, the literal translation is the chapters' sixth.

  • novembarip (ulluisa) arfernganni, on the 6th of November

    Literally 'November's days' sixth'. Note that ulluisa, with ergative 3sg/pl, is often omitted, even though the ending on arfineq still is plural.


Search the corpus for further examples.


Tags

References