Details

General

Morphemic form: {avaknaq}N
New orthography: avannaq, avannami, avannaa
Old orthography: avangnaĸ, avangname, avangnâ
Sources: [SK71], [JP67], [CWSL58], [CBBJRPIKJR97]
Combinations: View list
Constituents: {av}D + {?}
Right sandhi: Default/none
Inflection sandhi: Weak stem, Default/none, p-declined
Stem type: q-stem

Description and behaviour

Form and usage:

This stem has two meanings:

When {avaknaq}N is used as a spatial noun for the true direction of North, it is always used with a possessive ending. The possessor need not be explicitly specified, in which case it is implied to be 'the land'. In this sense, it is similar to {kujatə}N, {kaŋi}N and {kətə}N, which are used as the four directions.

Etymology
According to the Comparative Eskimo Dictionary [MFSJLK10], the stem is built from the demonstrative base {av}D and an affix +{knar}N, denoting 'wind from (direction)' It is not explained what the /a/ occurring between them is. This might be the so-called 'demonstrative' /a/, but since it is not certain, we record it as unknown here.


Inflection

Inflection pattern:

Stem type: q-stem
Inflection sandhi: Weak stem, Default/none, p-declined
Sources: [JP67]

Notes on inflection:

The stem inflects as an ordinary weak q-stem with p-declension. As this is entirely regular, we do not record a full inflection paradigm here.


Meanings and examples

Tags: Weather

  • illu qiianarajuppoq, avannaq natsimavallaartarluni supinarsimmat, the house is cold, because the northern wind, due to its continuous strong blowing, has become so penetrating. [CWSL58]

The meaning 'North' is with a 3sg possessive ending, but without an explicit Possessor in the sentence (implied to be 'the land').

Tags: Spatial/positional noun, Space

  • avannaanit ornippaa, he approached it from the north [SK71]

    I.e. from the land's north area.

  • illerfiup avannaanut iliuk, put it on the north-side of the chest [SK71]

    I.e. on the chest's north-side.

  • avannaa allalerpoq, (the weather) is clearing up in the north [SK71]

    I.e. the north (of the land) begins to clear up.

  • umiarsuit avannaanut pisussat, the ships that shall go to North Greenland [SK71]

    Literally 'to its noth', with 'the land' as the implied Possessor.


Search the corpus for further examples.


Tags

References