Tales and Traditions of the Eskimo - Alternative Religions ...

Tales and Traditions of the Eskimo - Title Page
dluarpo8, well, sufficiently; ingerdlavo8, it moves; ingerdlavdluarpo8, it goes quick.
ngârpo8, highly; angivo8, it is large; angingârpo8, is very large.
tarpo8, repeatedly or using to.
juipo8, never.
gajugpo8, is bending to, likes to.
b. Intransitive.
narpo8, is to make one; masagpo8, is wet; masangnarpo8, is to grow wet from.
c. Transitive.
tipâ, causes him to; autdlarpo8, goes away; autdlartípá, he sends him away.
r8uvâ, commands or wishes that he.
serpâ, waits till he; tikipo8, he comes; tikitserpâ, is waiting till he comes.
p. 21
It is by combining a series of these added stems to the principal stem, that such an extraordinary
complexity of ideas can be conveyed in a single word. Only the more intelligent, however, are perfectly
skilled in this operation, and the number of affixes attached to one primitive stem seldom amounts to ten.
The order in which they are linked to one another depends on the meaning, besides certain particular
rules for each of them; but they are always put after the primitive stem, and the flexion always ends the
word. The total number of affixes is about two hundred. As a sample, we shall try here to compose a
word of some of the stems given above
igdlor-ssua-tsia-lior-fi-gssa-liar-8u-gamiuk.
This word consists of a primitive stem, seven affixes, and lastly the flexion for the third person
conjunctive with the suffix for him. It signifiesas he commanded (or wished) him to go to the place,
where the tolerably large house shall be built.
igdlu-gssar-si-ni-uti-ger-8u-vara.
This word is constructed of one primitive and six additional stems, with the flexion for the first person
indicative, and the suffix for him or it, and signifiesI ordered him to use it as a means for buying
(endeavouring to get) house-materials (a future house).
Syntax.In consequence of what has been explained above, much of what in other dialects belongs to
syntax, in Greenland is represented by composing words and by flexion. There is a very sharp distinction
between the verbs as transitive, intransitive, or having both qualities at once. The exclusively transitive
verbs always require a suffix; where this is wanting they grow reflectivefor instance, to8úpâ, he killed
him; but to8úpo8, he killed, always supposes himself.
Among the seven moods of the verb, the infinitive and the participle do not exactly correspond to what
are p. 22 so called in other languages. The infinitive is very often used like the participle in a run of
sentences, to express what in other tongues is obtained by help of while, then, as, during, &c, The
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