Details

General

Morphemic form: {maqluk}N
New orthography: marluk
Old orthography: mardluk
Sources: [SK71], [JP67], [CWSL58], [CBBJRPIKJR97], [SB03], [CWSL51]
Combinations: View list
Right sandhi: Default/none
Inflection sandhi: Irregular
Stem type(s): Regular k-stem

Description and behaviour

Form and usage:

The meaning of this stem is 'two' (a numeral), and the stem-final /k/ is likely originally not part of the stem, but rather the dual number marker, although the stem is generally interpreted as a k-stem. Given its meaning, the stem is inherently dual, but since the dual forms have all but disappeared from the language, the form is normally understood as plural, when it is used as a modifier. However, there are a few cases where the actual plural form is used. This is especially the case when one is speaking of multiple pairs/twos, or two items that each are themselves plural; for example 'two hands', which could be expressed as assaat marluit

Another case, mentioned in Bjørnum [SB03], is when telling the time, where the allative case is used. Here, '2 o'clock' is marlunut, with a single /n/, thus indicating that the stem-final /k/ is not present here.


Inflection

Declension pattern:

Stem type: Regular k-stem
Declension type: up-declined
Declension sandhi: Irregular

Stem before consonant Stem before vowel Notable forms
New orthography marluk marlu , , marluk, marluit, marlunnut, marlunut
Old orthography mardluk mardlu , , mardluk, mardluit, mardlunnut, mardlunut
Phonemic orthography maqluk maqlu , , maqluk, maqluit, maqluknut, maqlunut

Notes on declension:

The stem is inherently dual, so there are no singular forms. The form is however usually understood as plural, so the actual dual inflection is seldom used, except when one needs to speak of multiple twos. In that case, we see that the aabsolutive/ergative plural form is marluit, as in other regular k-stems with up-declension.

The true plural form is also sometimes used in some of the other cases, especially the allative case when telling the time. There, the form is marlunut with a single /n/, thus indicating that the stem-final /k/ is not present here (which is consistent with this /k/ actually being an ending, rather than part of the stem).


Meanings and examples

The number is inherently dual, which is treated as plural.

  • marlunnik eqqarsaateqarpunga, I have two (different) thoughts [SK71]

    Notice that the ending is marlunnik.

  • qaammatit marluat, the second month (february) [SK71]

    Literally: 'the months' two'. Note that {aippaq}N normally would be used for 'second'.

  • qeqertat marluk, two islands [SK71]

    Note that qeqertat is plural, so the form marluk is also understood as plural (since the dual forms have mostly disappeared from the language).

  • umiat marluk aggerput, two boats are coming/approaching [SK71]

    As in the other example, umiat is plural, and marluk is understood as plural.

  • aappariit marluk, two couples [SK71]

    Note that here there is a double duality: aappariit is plural, but denotes a single couple, but with marluk it denotes two couples.

  • suli marluk amiakkuupput, there are still two (items) left [CWSL58]
  • marlunut, 2 o'clock [SB03]

    This seems to be the true plural form, that is used here, since the form is marlunut with a single /n/, indicating that the stem-final /k/ is not present here.


Search the corpus for further examples.


Tags

References