Details

General

Morphemic form: {atəqaq}V
New orthography: ateqarpoq
Old orthography: ateĸarpoĸ
Sources: [SK71], [CWSL58], [CBBJRPIKJR97]
Combinations: View list
Constituents: {atəq}N + N{-qaq}V
Right sandhi: Default/none
Inflection sandhi:
Stem type: q-stem
Diathesis: Subjective
Valency: Avalent, Monovalent, Monovalent

Description and behaviour

Form and usage:

This construction is the conventional way of expressing "my name is X", or "his/its name is X" and so on. Notice that this is not expressed as a possessive construction in Kalaallisut. Instead, the literal meaning of the construction is "I have a name, that is X".

The haver of the name is the subject of the sentence (given in the ending), and the actual name is normally given before the verb, in the instrumental case, as a modifier of the incorporated noun {atəq}N. However, it may alternatively sometimes be places after the verb, and in the absolutive case. Thus

are both possible constructions, although the former is the most common. To ask someone his name, {qanuq} is used instead of the instrumental modifier, i.e. qanoq ateqarpit? = "what is your name?".


Meanings and examples

The actual name is given in the instrumental case, or alternatively it may be placed after the verb, in the absolutive case.

  • Jaakkumik ateqarpoq, his name is Jaakku (Jacob) [SK71]
  • qanoq ateqarpit?, what is your name?

Search the corpus for further examples.


Tags

References