A Grammar of Tamashek (Tuareg of Mali)

8.4 Reciprocal 479

a-nm-ijay 'tie each other' -uCuC-

a-nm-'iha^ 'approach each other' It

a-nm-iw3Y 'block each other' II

a-nm-iwsd 'contact each other' It

a-nm-sjjaj 'go away from each other' (K-d) -uCvC-

a-nm-sjj 'do (make) each other' -vCu-

a-nm-aks 'eat each other' -vPQi>

a-nm-3Y3rr 'call each other; be homonyms' "

a-nm-skk 'go to each other' -νΡΡυ-

a-nm-syy 'leave each other' -υ(Ρ)Ρυ-

a-nm-is 'butcher each other' -uCu-

a-n-armam 'stick to each other' -vPQvC-

a-n-akf 'give to each other' -vPQi>

Another case, Recip -n-usvm- 'be jealous of each other' from -usvm- 'be
jealous of (PerfP -osaem-) is interesting (492).

(492) Reciprocal of 'be jealous'

PerfP -aen-esaem-

Imprt n-asaem

LoImpfP -t-an-asam-

VblN a-n-isam

Since the stem contains a labial, the Recip prefix is just -n-. This creates a

stem shape -n-usvm- that fits into the broader -CuCvC- (more precisely,

-CiCvC-) pattern (§7.3.1.7). Hence the medial e in the perfectives, and the

shift to <L> vocalism in the imperfectives (but not the VblN).

Some examples involving middleweight inputs are in (493). There is a mix

of -m- and -nvm-. Further study would probably show that both -m- and

-nvm- are grammatical with all of the stems, with -m- typical of the more

commonly used stems. In elicitation, -nvm- is probably more common than in

actual speech with long stems. If the stem contains a labial, -n- is usual.

(493) Reciprocals (-m-, -n-, -nvm-) of Middleweight Inputs (VblN Form)

Recip VblN Recip gloss underived stem type

a. -n-

a-m-bsbb 'carry e. o. on back' -CuCCu-

[Imprt n-ababb]

a-n-ziwab 'reply to each other' -CiCvC-

a-n-msrutar 'need each other' -CVCDCVC-