jeff_l
(Jeff_L)
#1
104 3 Phonology
Stem-Initial Syncope is highly morphologized in general, and it does apply
(but in the perfective only) to causative -s-vCvC-, e.g. -s-vjvn- 'make kneel',
PerfP -ses-jaen-, but unsyncopated Shlmpf -s-ajan and VblN α-s-ajan. So
causative -s-vCvC- (Stem-Initial Syncope in perfective only) is intermediate
between underived middleweight -CvCvC- (no Stem-Initial Syncope at all)
and superheavy stems like -mvlvwlvw- (Stem-Initial Syncope in perfective,
Shlmpf, and VblN).
The dialects differ in detail as to how Stem-Initial Syncope applies to
causative -s-vCvC-. A-grm fails to syncopate, even in PerfP -ass-agasn-, while
on the other extreme K-d syncopates the VblN as well as the perfective and
Shlmpf, hence VblN d-s-jan.
3.4.1.5 Stems, componential or templatic ablaut, pre-ablaut reconfiguration
The model that works best for most Tamashek ablaut processes is a
componential one. This means that a stem (either a spelled-out singular noun,
or a slightly abstract verb stem) is the input, and is modified by applying one
or more ablaut components to it. Among the components, the major distinction
is between vocalic melodies, which (in my analysis) are stem-wide, and local
ablaut formatives, which target a particular input segment.
For example, the Sg noun e-rerdam 'large scorpion' has an ablaut PI that
is formed by applying to the Sg stem the following: a melody whose L
component is confined to the final input vowel, plus a lengthening feature χ-f
that also targets this final input vowel. The result is i-rurdam, which also
shows the PI prefix i-.
Likewise, the verb -bvlulvY- 'gape' undergoes a number of ablaut
processes to produce PerfP -aeblalaer-. The -vblulvr- shape of the PerfP
results from the combination of Stem-Initial V-Insertion (99) and Stem-Initial
Syncope (101) (§3.4.8, below). When this syncope rule applies, the usual
perfective melody allows the L component to spread to the left, erasing
the Η (Leftward L-Spreading (60), §3.2.7.2). The same verb has a LoImpfP
-t-lblulur- (underlying /-t-iblulir-/), which represents a more complex ablaut
with the following components: melody, -t- prefix, an accent formative
χ-pcl, and two lengthening formatives χ-pcl and χ-f that lengthen the first
and third vowels. This ablaut assumes the prior operation of Stem-Initial
V-Insertion and Stem-Initial Syncope (perhaps the Shlmpf stem is the direct
input). The output -t-iblulur- also requires u-Spreading (119) (§3.4.9.3),
which spreads the rounding feature of the medial V to the final V (this does not
apply to A-grm, which has -t-lbluliv-).
The alternative to a componential ablaut system like this is a templatic
one. In a templatic ablaut system, the output is produced by forcing raw
material from an input stem onto a rigid template. The best example of this is
Arabic. For example, in Moroccan Arabic, a noun of profession has the shape
CCaCC-i, and input nouns of a range of shapes have to be forced into this
