63 



Construction of words by means of the dependent stems 



or affixes. 



The nature and use of Ihe affixes in general has already been 

 explained. It was mentioned that the greater part of these additions 

 are perfectly moveable. But some have become immoveable, their 

 application being limited to certain words, or though moveable, cer- 

 tain combinations of them with primitive stems have acquired a fixed 

 peculiar signification. Moreover there is no sharp distinction between 

 the moveable and immoveable affixes. For these reasons the diction- 

 ary must continually refer to the affixes. 



Many affixes, although having a more or less distinct signification, 

 are often used in a way only slightly affecting the sence of the 

 word. Especially in narrative or so to say poetical style very 

 compound words occur, of whose elements some almost seem to be 

 inserted merely for the sake of enphony. 



As to their nature and signification , the affixes are divided into 

 nouns and verbs. The latter have their formative addition like the 

 primitive verbs which lose their addition in receiving the affix with 

 the flexion; the same is repealed with the derivatives each time a new 

 affix is added. Nominal as well as verbal affixes are again divided 

 into transforming, by which nouns are converted into verbs and vice 

 versa, and formative which only are appended to stems of their own 

 kind. The formative nominal affixes are also grouped as adjeclively 

 or substantively formative, f. i. igdMnguaq a small house, and igdlulik 

 one who has a house. The formative verbal affixes in a similar way 

 are divided into neutral, transitive and intransitive. 



As trying to extract a tolerably complete collection of the af- 

 fixes contained in the words known from the other dialects and 

 arranging them, would be a very difficult problem, I have limited the 

 following list to the Grenlandish affixes and examples of compound 

 words, giving an idea of Ihe application of the same affixes in the 

 other dialects. A few examples from the latter containing doubtful 

 elements are finally added; only few affixes have been observed in 

 them which with any degree of certainty could be considered non 

 existent in Greenland. 



The following signs have been adopted by Kleinschmidt for indi- 

 cating the rules for adding Ihe affixes to the stems: 



