28 3 Phonologyalso recorded Vsjr (in variation with Vsjr), perhaps a sporadic recent
dissimilation of *s to the following affricatej [d3].
In the word-families to which we now turn, we get geminated zz
corresponding to ungeminated s for at least some dialects (or speakers). This
alternation is not "regular" phonologically, and all speakers have some other
word-families with consistent s and ss, and some with consistent ζ and zz.
Where zz does alternate with s, relatively stable zz typically occurs in forms
whose relationship to s forms is of below average morphophonological
transparency. The stable zz forms can be in short VblN's like aPPaC, άΡΡ, and
e-CaePP, in long imperfectives of type -C0PP-, and in unsuffixed ablaut plurals
of type t-i-CaPP (for Sg t-e-CaePe or t-e-CaePPe). There are also a few other
idiosyncratic cases.
The alternations known to me, some confined to certain dialects (or
speakers), are given in (22). Variant forms with ss instead of zz are given in
parentheses.(22) Alternations of s and Geminated zza.gloss'be sold's form(s)PerfP -ansa-zz form(s)VblN e-naezz
LoImpfP -ηάζζ- (-ndss-)b. 'pardon' PerfP -ansa- LoImpfP -ηάζζ- (-ndss-)
VblN t-e-naesse PI VblN t-i-ηόζζ (t-i-nass)c. 'fly (insect')' PI es-αη (T-ka) Sg ezz (ess)[PI also ezz-αη, ess-an]d. 'age-mate' asi verb zuyya-t 'coincide' (Imprt)e. 'butcher' PerfP -osa- VblN azz (ass)f. 'run' PerfP -osael- VblN άζζαΐ
g· niece Sg t-e-jaese PI t-i-gazzFor 'sell' (22.a) and its homonym 'pardon' (22.b), we get s when clustered
with preceding n. When the sibilant is geminated (LoImpfP), we get zz
varying with ss. The VblN e-naizz seems to have consistent zz. The VblN
t-e-naesse 'pardon(ing)' has ss in spite of gemination, but zz varies with ss in
the ablaut PI.
For 'fly' (22.c) the sibilant is always geminated in the Sg (unaccented ezz,
ess, Ansongo Gourma accented ess). The PI, if formed by simple suffixation,
retains this geminate (ess-asn, ezz-asn). However, I also recorded a sibilant