A Grammar of Tamashek (Tuareg of Mali)

514 8 Verbal derivation

(543) Verbal Noun Schemata for -v(C)CvC- Stems

Imprt Sg VblN PI VblN

-vPQvC- a-PaeQaC l-PseQaC-asn

-vPPaC- üPaC üPCaw-aen (dialectally üPaC-aen, uPC-cm)

-vCvC- e-CeC ϊ-CeC-aen

The three verb types have remarkably different VblN patterns. For the
-vPQvC- verbs, a-PasQaC is a unique VblN formation. For -vPPvC- verbs, the
uPaC VblN shows ungeminated medial C ("P") and simultaneously replaces
the initial short V by u. The replacement of -vPP... by -uP... is also found in
prefixal derivatives (e.g. causatives (453)) of the same -vPPvC- verbs. VblN
uPaC has a PI uPCaw-aen in T-ka, which shows both α and w following the
(otherwise) stem-final C (§4.1.2.6). For -vCvC- verbs the VblN is e-CeC,
quite different from a-PaeQaC and uPaC.

Representative examples of these patterns are given in (544).

(544) Examples of Productive Verbal Nouns for -o(C)CvC- Stems

Imprt type gloss Imprt Sg VblN PI VblN

-vPQvC- 'stretch' ssrsd a-saerad i-saerad-aen

-vPPvC- 'pound' sddah udah üdhaw-aen

-vCvC- 'unravel' ssar e-ser 1-ser-aen

Although these VblN patterns are productive, there are some other patterns
for verbs of these shapes. For -vPQvC- verbs, the alternative types are
illustrated in (545). Some of these are also attested, in non-VblN function, with
other verbs.

(545) Alternative Verbal Noun Types for -vPQvC- Verbs

gloss Imprt Sg VblN PI VblN

a. α-PaeQoC (variant a-PaeQuC)

'beautify self sdtaj α-daeloj (T) i-daeloj-aen

α-dasluj (A-grm)

'come w water' sktar α-kaetor (T) —

[VblN Q-kaetar A-grm]

'go to well' asrsj a-saeroj (T) —

[VblN a-saerag A-grm]

'be energetic' atrsb a-taerob —

'leave' szjsr α-zaejor —

[VblN a-zaegar (A-grm)]