Inuktut has a whole series of words that identify where objects are located relative to the person who is speaking.
Exclamations
The first set are used when making an exclamation that something is in a particular place like, for example, if you find something you have been looking for.
| Basic | with ta– prefix | |
|---|---|---|
| uvva! | Here it is right here! | tavva! |
| majja! | Here it is here! (general area) | tamajja! |
| ikka! | There it is right there! | taika! |
| avva! | There it is over there! | tauva! |
| pikka! | Here it is up here! | tappika! |
| pagga! | There it is up there! | tappaka! |
| kanna! | Here it is down here! | takanna! |
| ugga! | There it is down there! | tauka! |
The prefix ta– can be added to most localizers. It changes in a very subtle way the meaning of the word in conversation.
In general, the pointing words with the prefix ta– refer to a spot that is more specific than the pointing words without it.
Also, when a person is pointing out an object to someone for the first time, they will use the localizing word without ta–. If that object continues to be discussed, the localizer word will have ta– to indicate something that has already been mentioned.