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Reference document

Locative Pronouns

Rule #35

Locative pronouns refer to the location where the process expressed by the verb takes place.

The exact meaning of ta(C)- is unclear.
Some postbases and tails can be added to locative pronouns.

Adding a noun extender to a locative pronoun produces a noun stem.
Adding a verb maker to a locative pronoun produces a verb stem.
Adding a tail to a locative pronoun does not change the category.

Examples:

  • tamaani-miu-t
  • tamaani-i-ngngi-lau-rit
  • tamaani-li

Note that /uq- cannot be added to locative pronouns. Verb bases (for example tamaungngaq-) are used instead.

In order to express relative location, note that Inuktitut uses locative noun bases with possessive endings.

Here is a partial list of these bases (combined with the ending /ngani, locative case, singular, third person singular possessor):

  • qaa-ngani on the upper side of
  • qula-ani above
  • ata-ani under
  • saa-ngani in front of
  • sivura-ani in front of
  • nala-ani directly in front of
  • tunu-ani behind, at the back of
  • sivu-ani in the front part of
  • kingu-ani in the back part of
  • tuki-ani in the axis of
  • akunni-ngani in the space between
  • avata-ani around
  • aki-ani on the opposite side of (sea, lake, river, valley)
  • itivi-ani on the opposite side of (land, peninsula, moutain)
  • ilu-ani inside
  • immu-ani inside (something rolled up, something wrapped)
  • ikia-ngani inside, within
  • tunga-ani at the foot of
  • irqa-ani at the bottom of (a liquid)
  • silata-ani outside
  • kangi-ani on the landside of, on the upstream side of
  • kita-ani on the seaside of, on the downstream side of
  • ungata-ani beyond/behind
  • mitsa-ani under/in front of
  • sani-ani near, on the external edge of
  • sinaa-ngani on the internal edge of
  • killi-ngani on the edge of
  • talirpi-ani to the right of
  • saumi-ani to the left of
  • qiti-ngani in the middle of
  • isu-ani at the end of
  • nungngu-ani at the end of
  • qingngu-ani at the end of
  • tarra-ngani at the north of
  • siqini-ngani at the south of
  • aggu-ani on the side exposed to the wind of
  • urqu-ani on the side sheltered from the wind of

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