Qasunattuuji verbs
Qasunattuuji verbs are known for their complexity: a single conjugated verb may stand for a whole sentence. Also, they exhibit noun incorporation: for example: do a speech is rendered as speech-do.
General features
Every verb has an obligatory inflection for person, number, and mood (all marked by a single suffix), and can have other inflectional suffixes such as tense, aspect, modality, and various suffixes carrying adverbial functions, and can have nouns incorporated to them.
Tense
Tense marking is always optional. The only explicitly marked tense is the future tense. Past and present tense cannot be marked and are always implied. All verbs can be marked through adverbs to show relative time (using words such as "yesterday" or "tomorrow"). If neither of these markings is present, the verb can imply a past, present, or future tense.
| Tense | Example |
|---|---|
| Present | Pijavi telephone-INSTR vigiipuk. talk-we-1DU.3SG We (two) talk on the phone. |
| Future | Pijavivu telephone-INSTR viniagiipuk. talk-we-DU-FUT We (two) will talk on the phone. |
| Future (implied) | Suujuqqanu give birth probably savisuhuu sister's ilaa I kaluuŋiluuk. tomorrow My sister (will) give(s) birth tomorrow. (the future tense "will" is implied by the word tomorrow) |
Aspect
Marking aspect is optional in Qasunattuuji verbs. It has a perfective versus imperfective distinction in aspect, along with other distinctions, such as: frequentative (-ataq; "to repeatedly verb"), habitual (-simavi; "to always, habitual verb"), inchoative (-hiŋaat; "about to verb"), and intentional (-sahuma; "intend to verb"). The aspect suffix can be found after the verb root and before or within the obligatory person-number-mood suffix. number-mood suffix.
Mood
Qasunattuuji has the following moods: Indicative, Interrogative, Imperative (positive, negative), Coordinative, and Conditional. Participles are sometimes classified as a mood.
Participle can be used to form relative sentences.
| xavix qijajuat kinakutut. | |||||||
| /ˈʂaviʂ qiˈʐaʐuat kinaˈkuʐut/ | |||||||
| xav- | -ix | qijak- | -tuat | kinak- | -u- | -tut | |
| dog | -abs.pl | bark | -3p.part- | hunger- | -be.X- | -3p.indic | |
| The dogs that are barking are hungry | |||||||
Conditional is used to make conditional sentences
| kinakukama qiniajuŋa | |||||||
| /kinakuˈkama qiniaˈʐuŋa/ | |||||||
| kinak- | -u- | -kama | qit- | -niaq- | -tuŋa | ||
| hungry- | -be.X | -1s.cond.impf- | eat- | -fut | -1s.ind | ||
| I will it if I get hungry | |||||||
The Coordinative mood has a wide range of uses, including the formation of dependent sentences that function as modifiers of independent sentences.
| puuvajijaluŋa qittuŋa | |||||||
| /puːvaʐiʐaˈluŋa qittuŋa/ | |||||||
| puuvatijax- | -luŋa | qit- | -tuŋa | ||||
| read- | -1s.coord | eat- | -1s.ind | eat- | |||
| While I read, I eat | |||||||
| isinaluŋa aŋŋuajuŋa | |||||||
| /isinaˈluŋa aŋŋaˈʐuŋa/ | |||||||
| isinap- | -luŋa | aŋŋuaq- | -tuŋa | ||||
| read- | -1s.coord | eat- | -1s.ind | eat- | |||
| Singing, I dance | |||||||
Structure
The maximum structure of verbs is:
root-(derivational)-(inflecional)-(person, number, mood)—enclitic
There can have several derivational or inflectional suffixes, but, only one verbal root per verb.
Enclitics codify coordination (—nu "and") and evidentiality (—quuq "it's said that", "they say that").
Suffixes that change valency should come after the radical-(derivational), but before the person, number and mood suffix.
Nouns can be incorporated along with derivation suffixes, with the verb becoming intransitive, and Qasunattuuji has the types I, II a IV of noun incorporation.
Derivation
The suffix -u creates a verb "be X" from a noun.
The suffix -uh (-uu before a suffix beginning in a consoant) creates a verb "become X" from a noun whose verb doesn't have the be/become X distinction.
The gerund is marked with the suffix -juni (-tuni after t).
The negative suffix -it negates what comes before the radical, being able to come after the root and before the derivational, after the derivational, or both. If the suffix comes before a person, number and mood suffix starting the consonant (except t), a -ti- should be inserted between them.
Paradigms
Independent | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mood | Person |
Singular |
Dual |
Plural |
| Indicative | 1 |
-tuŋa | -tuguk | -tugut |
2 |
-tujin | -tusik | -tusi | |
3 |
-tuq | -tuk | -tut | |
| Interrogative | 1 |
-pik | -pit | -pa |
2 |
-piŋuk | -pisik | -pak | |
3 |
-pisa | -pisi | -pat | |
| Imperative (affirmative) | 1 |
-laŋa | -in | -li |
2 |
-luk | -(t)ijik | -lik | |
3 |
-ta | -(t)itti | -lix | |
| Imperative (negative) | 1 |
-naŋa | -nak | -nani |
2 |
-nanuk | -nasik | -najik | |
3 |
-naja | -nasi | -najig | |
Dependent | ||||
| Mood | Person |
Singular |
Dual |
Plural |
| Conditional | 1 |
-kama | -kammuk | -kaja |
2 |
-kavix | -kaasik | -kaasi | |
3 (reflexive) |
-kami | -kamik | -kamiŋ | |
3 (non-reflexive) |
-ːman | -ːmaanik | -ːmaja | |
| Coordinative | 1 |
-luŋa | -lunuk | -luja |
2 |
-lujin | -lusik | -lusi | |
3 |
-luni | -lujik | -lujiŋ | |
| Object → | First person |
Second person |
Third person | ||||||
| Subject ↓ | Singular |
Dual |
Plural |
Singular |
Dual |
Plural |
Singular |
Dual |
Plural |
1S |
-giiviŋ | -giijik | -giisi | -giga | -giija | -giika | |||
1D |
-giijigiŋ | -giijuk | -giisi | -giivut | -givut | -givut | |||
1P |
-giijigiŋ | -giijuk | -gisi | -giivut | -givut | -givut | |||
2S |
-giima | -giijiguq | -giijigut | -giijuk | -gijik | -gijik | |||
2D |
-gisiiŋa | -giijiguk | -giijigut | -gii | -giikiŋ | -gijin | |||
2P |
-giisiiŋa | -giijuguk | -giijigut | -giisi | -gisi | -gisi | |||
3S |
-gaaŋa | -gaajiguk | -gaajigut | -gaajin | -gaajik | -gaasi | -gaa | -gik | -gai |
3D |
-gaajaŋa | -gaajiguk | -gaajigut | -gaajin | -gaajik | -gaasi | -gaak | -giŋik | -gaix |
3P |
-gaajaŋa | -gaajiguk | -gaajigut | -gaajin | -gaajik | -gaasi | -gaat | -gaix | -gaix |
| Object → | First person |
Second person |
Third person | ||||||
| Subject ↓ | Singular |
Dual |
Plural |
Singular |
Dual |
Plural |
Singular |
Dual |
Plural |
1S |
-pigiŋ | -pisik | -pisi | -piguk | -pigik | -pigix | |||
1D |
-pisigiŋ | -pisik | -pisi | -pisiguk | -pisigik | -pisigik | |||
1P |
-pisigiŋ | -pisik | -pisi | -pisigu | -pisigik | -pisigik | |||
2S |
-piŋa | -pisiguk | -pisigut | -piuŋ | -pisi | -pisigix | |||
2D |
-pisiiŋa | -pisiguk | -pisigut | -pisiiŋ | -pisigik | -pisigik | |||
2P |
-piŋuuŋa | -pisiguk | -pajigut | -pisiiŋ | -pisigik | -pisigik | |||
3S |
-paŋa | -pajiguk | -pajigut | -pajin | -gajik | -pasi | -pauŋ | -pagik | -pagix |
3D |
-paaŋa | -pajiguk | -pajigut | -pajin | -pajik | -pasi | -paaku | -paakik | -pajigik |
3P |
-paaŋa | -pajiguk | -pajigut | -pajin | -pajik | -pasi | -paajuŋ | -pajigik | -pajigik |
| Object → | First person |
Second person |
Third person | ||||||
| Subject ↓ | Singular |
Dual |
Plural |
Singular |
Dual |
Plural |
Singular |
Dual |
Plural |
1S |
-laapiŋ | -laajik | -laasi | -lagu | -lagik | -lagix | |||
1D |
-laajigiŋ | -laajik | -laasi | -laapuk | -laajik | -laajigix | |||
1P |
-laajigiŋ | -laajik | -laasi | -laaput | -laavut | -laavut | |||
2S |
-ŋŋa | -tuguk | -tigut | -uŋ | -(ː)kik[1] | -k/(ː)kix[1][2] | |||
2D |
-siiŋa | -tiguk | -tigut | -ːku[1] | -sigik | -sigix | |||
2P |
-siiŋa | -tiguk | -tigut | -siuŋ | -sigik | -sigix | |||
3S |
-liŋa | -lisiguk | -lisigut | -lisin | -lisik | -lisi | -liuŋ | -ligik | -ligix |
3D |
-liiŋa | -lisiguk | -lisigut | -lisin | -lisik | -lisi | -liiku | -lisigik | -lisigik |
3P |
-liiŋa | -lisiguk | -lisigut | -lisin | -lisik | -lisi | -liijuŋ | -lisigik | -lisigix |
| Object → | First person |
Second person |
Third person | ||||||
| Subject ↓ | Singular |
Dual |
Plural |
Singular |
Dual |
Plural |
Singular |
Dual |
Plural |
1S |
-naŋa | -naŋa | |||||||
1D |
-najiguk | -najiguk | |||||||
1P |
-najigut | -najigut | |||||||
2S |
-nagu | -nagix | |||||||
2D |
-nagu | ||||||||
2P |
-nasiiŋa | -nasigut | -nasiuŋ | -nasigik | |||||
3S |
-nagu | ||||||||
3D |
-nagik | ||||||||
3P |
-nagu | ||||||||
| Object → | First person |
Second person |
Third person | ||||||
| Subject ↓ | Singular |
Dual |
Plural |
Singular |
Dual |
Plural |
Singular |
Dual |
Plural |
1S |
-aakiŋ | -aajik | -aasi | -aaku | -aakik | -aakix | |||
1D |
-aajigiŋ | -aajik | -aasi | -aajigu | -aajigik | -aajigik | |||
1P |
-aajigiiŋ | -aajik | -aasi | -aajigu | -aajigik | -aajigik | |||
2S |
-aaŋa | -aajiguk | -aajigut | -aaku | -aakik | -aakix | |||
2D |
-aasiiŋa | -aajiguk | -aajigut | -aajigu | -aajigik | -aajigik | |||
2P |
-aasiiŋa | -aajiguk | -aajigut | -aasiuŋ | -aasigik | -aasigik | |||
3S reflexive |
-amiŋa | -amisiguk | -amisigut | -amisin | -amisik | -amisi | -amiuŋ | -amigik | -amisigik |
3D reflexive |
-amisiŋa | -amisiguk | -amisigut | -amisin | -amisik | -amisi | -amiijuŋ | -amisiikik | -amisigiŋ |
3P reflexive |
-amiiŋa | -amisiguk | -amisigut | -amisin | -amisik | -amisi | -amiijuŋ | -amisihik | -amisigiŋ |
3S non-reflexive |
-maŋa | -najiguk | -najigut | -majin | -majik | -masi | -magu | -magik | -magix |
3D non-reflexive |
-maaŋa | -najiguk | -najigut | -majin | -majik | -nasu | -aaku | -maagik | -maajigik |
3P non-reflexive |
-maŋa | -najiguk | -najigut | -majin | -majik | -masi | -maaju | -maajigik | -majigik |
| Object → | First person |
Second person |
Third person | ||||||
| Subject ↓ | Singular |
Dual |
Plural |
Singular |
Dual |
Plural |
Singular |
Dual |
Plural |
1S |
-lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugu | |||
1D |
-lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugu | |||
1P |
-lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugu | |||
2S |
-lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugu | |||
2D |
-lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugu | |||
2P |
-lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugu | |||
3S |
-lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugik | -lagix |
3D |
-lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugik | -lagix |
3P |
-lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugu | -lugik | -lagix |
| Object → | First person |
Second person |
Third person | ||||||
| Subject ↓ | Singular |
Dual |
Plural |
Singular |
Dual |
Plural |
Singular |
Dual |
Plural |
1S |
-kkaapiŋ | -kkaajik | -kkaasi | -kaga | -kkaka | -kkaaka | |||
1D |
-kkaajigiŋ | -kaajigiŋ | -kaajigiŋ | -kkaavuk | -kkavuk | -kkaavuK | |||
1P |
-kkaajigiŋ | -kaajigiŋ | -kaajigiŋ | -kkaavut | -kkavut | -kkaavut | |||
2S |
-kkaama | -kkaajiguk | -kkaajigut | -kkan | -kkakiŋ | -kkajin | |||
2D |
-kkaajiŋa | -kkaajiguk | -kkaajigut | -kkaajik | -kkajik | -kkajik | |||
2P |
-kkasiiŋa | -kkaajiguk | -kkaajigut | -kkaaqi | -kkasi | -kkasi | |||
3S |
-kkaŋani | -kkaŋajiguk | -kkaŋajigut | -kkaŋajin | -kkaŋajik | -kkaŋasi | -kkaŋa | -kkak | -kkaŋi |
3D |
-kkaŋani | -kkaŋajiguk | -kkaŋajigut | -kkaŋajin | -kkaŋajik | -kkaŋasi | -kkaŋak | -kkaŋik | -kkaŋik |
3P |
-kkaŋani | -kkaŋajiguk | -kkaŋajigut | -kkaŋajin | -kkaŋajik | -kkaŋasi | -kkaŋat | -kkaŋix | -kkaŋix |
Person |
Singular |
Dual |
Plural |
1 |
-tuaŋa | -tuaguk | -tuagut |
2 |
-tuajin | -tuasik | -tuasi |
3 |
-tuaq | -tuak | -tuat |
Notes
- The ː symbol means that the last phoneme of the radical is geminated.
- In the case of the transitive participial, if the last consonant of the radical is k or q, they must be deleted, if it's t, then the kka becomes ta.
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