157 



diphthong-formations are difficult for the Greenlander to pro- 

 nounce, and therefore they generally approach complete vowel- 

 assimilation. 



[qajaq] « qaiaq?) > [qaja-\ ^" cc < (/ + ^ (his) 

 [qaja'c] '" ач < a -!- e, cf. aloq, ahie (sole, his soles) 

 Aqd'^tre or qcr^we]^" \qd-4vak-a]^'^ 

 \pinid-4vdsp'dq\ '^ < pinia(q) ~\- -ш'аг- 

 Assimilations [ta-"md-4-uimk]''^ < ta (Relative prefix) -]-ша (thus) 

 of a -{- г. I -L- it'0{q) (being) + mik (Instrumentalis) 



[tcr"mani-dt]* < ta -f- ima[m) -\- -mat (verbal suffix) 

 [sa-^t-'dq or sa-4"dq] ^ < sa{k] (front) -f- и'Щ (being) 

 \ta•'^na\ ^ <,ta -[- una (he, it) 

 Assimilations [qaja'^sdiq] ' < qaja{q) -j- изщ 

 a -\- u. [тщс^гса]^ < пщсЩ) -\- a (his) 



[paUr^iVdq] ^ < palaik) -\- utvdq (is). 



Triphthongs or compound diphthongs are not unusual on 

 account of the constant tendency of the language to pile up 

 suffixes in the words. Ex.: 



sikoiuit'dq^^ nalunaiaiwdq^^ qkviaiautit ^^ u'wauarpdq^'^ 

 auiauqajut'ut^* ikiuiumas'ain'armat ^^. 



But here too the difference between the single elements 

 Oj these vowel-groups is in large part leveled just as in the 

 case of the simpler diphthongs, the most sonorous elements 

 becoming the most dominating ones in the group. 



'' his kajak, ^""his kajaks, '"his (suus) kajak, ''' my kajaks * he captures 

 game continually ' thus * since the circumstances were sucli ^ (place-name) 

 •^ ta -\' una (he), the one spoken of ' resembling a kajak '^ his or her 

 brother-in-law ' that is splendid '" eternal ice ^' he gives explanations, 

 witnesses '^ a brush " it (the pot) contains loo many pieces to be cooked 

 '* blood-robbers, i.e. murderers '-^ because he always want to help ('* and 

 '^ from "Atuagagdliutit" 1900-Г.)01, p. 7 and p. IGS). 



