Details

General

Morphemic form: {atə}N
New orthography: ataa, ammut
Old orthography: atâ, ámut
Sources: [MFSJLK10], [SK71], [CWSL58], [CBBJRPIKJR97]
Combinations: View list
Right sandhi: Default/none
Inflection sandhi: Default/none
Stem type(s): Vowel stem

Description and behaviour

Form and usage:

This is a spatial stem denoting 'area below Possessor', i.e. the opposite meaning of {qutə}N / {qulə}N. Note that Kleinschmidt [SK71] also give a slightly different meaning: 'that which is below Possessor', so it can optionally also refer to a specific thing, rather than just an area. In any case, this stem is only used with possessive endings, or with the unmarked allative singular case, i.e. ammut, to denote 'downwards'. This form can of course also be verbalised with *{-kaq}V, i.e. ammukarpoq, 'he goes down'.


Inflection

Declension pattern:

Stem type: Vowel stem
Declension type: p-declined
Declension sandhi: Default/none

Stem before consonant Stem before vowel Notable forms
New orthography ati ata , , , ammut
Old orthography ati ata , , , ámut
Phonemic orthography atə atə , , , atmut

Notes on declension:

The stem is only used with possessive endings, or with the un-possessive allative singular ending, N{mut}, which elides the /ə/ and attaches to /t/.


Meanings and examples

Usually, the meaning is 'area', but Kleinschmidt [SK71] also give examples where it refers to a specific thing, rather than an area in general.

  • qaqqap ataa, the land/area below (i.e. at the foot of) the mountain [SK71]
  • tuillup ataa, lower part of the water-skin [SK71]

    I.e. the strap at the bottom of the water-skin (drysuit) that the kayak man wears on his upper body, and which is fastened around the kayak hole, to keep water from coming into the kayak. Note: here the stem refers to a specific thing, rather than an area. Kleinschmidt also mentions that it can be used with possessive endings for other persons, e.g. atiga, 'my strap', i.e. the strap in my water-skin.

  • nerriviup ataa, the space (on the floor) below the table [SK71]
  • aterput, that which is below us [SK71]

    Especially: the beach below (in front of) our tent/house/etc.

  • tarrup ataani, in darkness [CBBJRPIKJR97]

    Literally: 'in the (space below) the darkness'.


Search the corpus for further examples.


Tags

References