A Grammar of Tamashek (Tuareg of Mali)

8.12 Other nominals 561

For s-emrar 'respect' and s-erkam 'domination', see (595.a), below.
A type in -s-agg- with a velar stop after the prefixal -s- is attested but
rare. The only clear case is α-s-agg-afay 'funnel' (PI i-s-sgg-afay), compare
verb -vffvy- 'pour; be poured'. The g is geminated as though in a Shlmpf verb
form with Caus -s- prefix. For A-grm I recorded this as a-s-agg-afi (PI
i-s-agg-afa), where the PI form (without final y) shows that the Sg has been
reanalysed. A possible relic of this formation is i-sagguqgan 'footholds' (PI
only). The formation is known in Algerian Tuareg, e.g. DTF 1.335
"äseggeffer" glossed as 'cachette' (i.e. 'hiding place'), cf. verb -vffvr- 'hide'.
Since gg can reflect *ww, a connection with the rare Causative prefix
allomorph -svw- is possible (§8.1.1).

8.12 Other nominals

8.12.1 Agent/instrument nominal with melody

One common nominal formation is closely related to a VblN of the type
characteristic of superheavy stems. The VblN has MaSg a- (or occasionally e-)
prefix, melody, and (where permitted by the syllabic structure) Syncope
of schwa in an open stem-initial syllable. The Agent/Instrument nominal, by
contrast, has rather than melody, and does not syncopate; the MaSg
prefix can be a- or e-; and frequently a final-syllable short V is lengthened
(χ-f). Examples are in (591). In (591.c), note that the four syllables of the
nominal, in this case reduplicated, have vocalic sequences «ae α ae α», where
both parts of the reduplication lengthen the second V.

(591) Agent/Instrument Nominals with <L> Melody from Underived Stems

verb gloss VblN <L> nominal gloss

a. no V's lengthened

'sneak' α-dkukam ae-daekdkaem

'be flabby' α-bkawkaw t-e-bsekswkasw-t

'rattle' a-rrawraw a-vaeraewraew

[also a-Yseraswrasw]

'dream' α-mnawnaw e-maenaewnaew

'be confused' α-mtall e-msetaell

[verb stem -mvtvllu-]

'one who sneaks'

'tassels'

'acacia pod'

'dream' (A-grm)

'misrecognition'

b. final-syllable V lengthened

'stutter' a-hdandan

'chatter' a-klastaf

'creep' a-lmumas

'shine' a-mlawlaw

a-haedaendan (R)

a-kaelaestaf

as-lasmamas

a-maelaewlaw

'stutterer'

'chatterer'

'creeper'

'sth that shines'