A Grammar of Tamashek (Tuareg of Mali)

7.4 Pronominal subject paradigms 431

7.3.2.21 'quick!' (sikk)

There is an adverbial sikk 'quick(ly)'. It is often used as an exclamation with
imperative force.
Specifically plural-subject imperative forms are also attested. For 2MaPl
addressee, slkk-aet is usual but sikkaew-aet was attested once. The attested
2FePl form is sikka-maet. These plural forms are rather inconsistent and
suggest historically secondary formations.

7.4 Pronominal subject paradigms

7.4.1 Non-imperative pronominal subject affixes

The pronominal subject affixes are constant across all inflected stem types
(perfectives, short and long imperfectives). There are three exceptions. First,
imperatives (limited to 2nd person) have a special set of suffixes (§7.4.3).
Second, adjectival C-initial (and a few V-initial) perfective verbs allow
pronominal subject suffixes but not prefixes (§7.4.2). Third, participles (i.e.
verb forms used in subject relatives and in focalized constructions) have only
3rd person subject prefixes, plus a special set of gender-number participial
suffixes (§8.5).
Here I discuss the set of subject affixes. Unlike object and dative clitics,
which are hosted by the first element in the clause, subject suffixes are welded
to the verb.
The prefixes are in (439), the suffixes in (440). None has an intrinsic
accent.

(439) Pronominal Subject Prefixes on Nonimperative Verbs

ISg

1P1 n-

t-

t-

t-

2Sg

2MaPl

2FePl

3MaSg i- (if verb begins with a or a C)

0- (if verb begins with ae or a full V)

3FeSg t-

3MaPl

3FePl

For variants, and alternative morphological segmentations in some
combinations, see the following sections.