A Grammar of Tamashek (Tuareg of Mali)

7.2 Stern categories 301

For participles (Partpl), which can be based on any stem in (307) that is

capable of occurring clause-initially (PerfP, Resit, LoImpfP), but have a

special set of MaSg, FeSg, and PI suffixes instead of the usual pronominal

subject prefixes and suffixes, see §8.5. For verbal nouns (VblN), agentives

(Agent), and other purely nominal derivatives, see §8.8-11.

For most (nonadjectival) light stems, the stem-shape is basically consistent

in PerfP, Imprt, and Shlmpf, e.g. -vPQvi- or -vPPvC-. With heavy stems that

do not have a full V in the first Imprt syllable, there is variation in surface

shape of the onset, with PvC... in the Imprt corresponding to either -vPQ... or

-vPPvQ... (depending on syllabic structure) in the perfectives and short

imperfectives. I take the Imprt to be indicative of the lexical representation of

the stems. Both the -vPQ... and -vPPvQ... onsets require a rule of Stem-Initial

V-insertion. In addition, -vPQ... requires a rule of Stem-Initial Syncope,

while -vPPvQ... requires a rule of Q-Gemination. On these rules, see §3.4.8.

7.2.2 Perfective system

The Perfective Positive (PerfP) is used for temporally bounded events in the

past (i.e. events that ended prior to the "now" of the speech act, or some other

contextually established deictic center). The PerfP is the basic form of the

perfective system, and the other two perfective-system stems are built on it.

The Resultative (Resit), which adds accent and length formatives to the

PerfP, is used when the perfective event results in a situation or state, and

depending on the verb can be translated as a stative present ('knows') or as a

perfect ('has already arrived'). It can often be translated loosely as present

progressive ('is red', 'is burning'), but this does not capture the actual

tense/aspect nuance of Tamashek, which specifies a situation or state that

results from an event or state that began earlier (and may or may not be

complete, depending on the verb).

The Perfective Negative (PerfN) is formed by adding an ablaut formative

changing ae in the PerfP to e. Except for light verbs ending in CvC, this

formative has no audible effect, in which case the PerfN is indistinguishable

from the PerfP. The PerfN is used, after Negative preverbal particle wser, to

negate either the PerfP or the Resit. It must directly follow wser with no

intervening material other than clitics.

Both the PerfP and the Resit have participial forms used in subject

relatives. The PerfN lacks its own participial form, since the relevant subject

relative is formed by adding a Participial ending directly to the Neg particle

preceding the PerfN verb.