55.2. ‘Characteristic,’ ‘inceptive,’ and ‘affective’
| c̓ə́q̓ʷ | ‘dirt’ | c̓ə́q̓ʷc̓q̓ʷ | ‘dirty’ |
| čáy | ‘work’ | čáyči | ‘diligent, busy’ |
| ƛ̓ə́q̓ʷ | ‘get stuck’ | ƛ̓ə́q̓ʷƛ̓q̓ʷ | ‘sticky’ |
| qán̓ | ‘rob’ | qán̓qən̓ | ‘thief’ |
| p̓áʔət | ‘try it’ | p̓p̓áʔt | ‘start to try it, give it a try’ |
| štə́ŋ | ‘walk’ | šəštə́ŋ | ‘start to walk’ |
| mə́šču | ‘mink’ | mimə́šču | ‘Mink’ (the story character) |
| t̓ə́x̣ | ‘mistake’ | t̓it̓ə́x̣ | ‘backslide’ |
| ŋə́qsən | ‘nose’ | ŋiŋə́qsən | ‘cute little nose’ |
► 1 There are three different reduplication patterns in these models, with three different meanings.
► 2 The first pattern is shown in the first four models. This is the ‘characteristic’ pattern and is the most common of these three.
► 3 The ‘characteristic’ pattern is formed by copying the first two consonants and stressed vowel of the root to the left. It could alternatively be seen as copying the first two consonants of the root to the right. Schematically (C1 is the first consonant, C2 is the second and V is the stressed vowel): C1VC2 → C1VC2C1C2.
► 4 The ‘characteristic’ pattern means something like ‘typically’ or ‘characteristic of’ or ‘characterized by.’ So, for example, something that has the characteristic of dirt is dirty, as in the first model. Someone that typically works is diligent or busy, as in the second model. Something that is characterized by or typically gets stuck is sticky, as in the third model. Consider the fourth model and explain for yourself how the meaning works there.
► 5 Some words have the ‘characteristic’ pattern, but the meaning change is not transparent. For example, ŋáʔŋaʔ ‘bait’ has the root meaning ‘give.’ The connection must be that bait is something given to the fish, so bait is characterized by giving. Some words for animals have this pattern, and often the meaning connection is obscure or there is no nonreduplicated root. Some examples are píšpš ‘cat’ and ƛ̓ə́x̣ʷƛ̓x̣ʷ ‘oyster.’
► 6 A couple of sound changes can be seen in the models of the ‘characteristic’ pattern. (1) If one of the consonants of the root is y, then it becomes i when the vowel drops out (as in the second model, čáyči). (2) If one of the consonants of the root is m, m̓, n, or n̓, then a schwa appears between the two consonants (as in the fourth model, qán̓qən̓).
► 7 The fifth and sixth models are examples of the ‘inceptive.’ The word ‘inceptive’ means ‘beginning to’ or ‘just starting to,’ and that is the meaning that this reduplication pattern has. The meaning of this pattern is regular and very straightforward.
► 8 The ‘inceptive’ pattern is formed simply by copying the first consonant of the root. If the first consonant is m, n, y, w, or ʔ, a schwa is always inserted between the two identical consonants. If the first consonant is anything else, the schwa is sometimes inserted.
► 9 The final two models show the ‘affective’ reduplication pattern. The meaning for this pattern is a bit harder to pin down than the other patterns shown here. It is used on words to indicate something tricky, cute, familiar, minor, amusing, or less important. Usually smallness is part of the idea it gives, but not always.
► 10 The model shows the pattern applied to the word for ‘mink.’ The result is what the character Mink is usually called in traditional stories. Mink is an amusing trickster character who tries hard but never does very well for himself. Using the ‘affective’ pattern on his name conveys some of that feeling toward him.
► 11 You have already seen a word with the ‘affective’ pattern in §29.1. The ʔuʔ-class intensifier qiqə́y ‘sorry’ is based on a root qə́y meaning ‘spoiled.’ That word is used to express regret about some small mistake. That change is similar to the meaning change shown in t̓it̓ə́x̣, the eighth model here. In that model the difference goes from ‘make a mistake’ to ‘backslide,’ where backsliding is seen as making a minor slip or less important mistake.
► 12 The form of the ‘affective’ reduplication pattern is simple. Copy the first consonant of the root and put i after it.
► 13 Note that the ‘affective’ reduplication pattern is different from the diminutive (§55.1), though they do seem to have some meaning overlap. For example, the word for ‘small nose’ is ŋaʔŋáʔqsən with the diminutive reduplication. The ‘affective’ pattern, as shown in the final model, adds the idea of cuteness.
 | ʔáwə c čáyči kʷsə swéʔwəs. mán̓ ʔuʔ scáxʷcxʷ. |
 | ʔiʔ ʔuʔčŋiŋə́qsən. |
| ʔuʔč̓č̓ínəw̓ cn ʔaʔ cəw̓níɬ. |
| ʔáx̣əŋ kʷaʔ qiqə́ys ʔaʔ kʷi st̓it̓ə́x̣. |