A Grammar of Tamashek (Tuareg of Mali)

9.1 Voice (valency) types of verbs 577

(610) a. gsle-r [y ae-sdhar]

listen.PerfP-lSgS [Dat Sg-song]

Ί listened to the song.' [K-d]

b. 3lkaem-aeY-\a-s

follow.PerfP-1 SgS-\Dat-3Sg

Ί helped him.' [K-d]

9.1.6 Underived ditransitive (object plus dative)

The prototypical ditransitives are -vkfu- 'give' and -s-vknu- 'show'. The latter

is a frozen causative.

These verbs take an object NP or clitic denoting the object given or shown,

and a dative PP (or dative clitic) denoting the recipient.

(611) a. mi-\kasy i-kfee-n

who?-\2MaSgO 3MaSgS-give.PerfP-Partpl.MaSg

a-w-ά

Dem-Ma-Dem.Sg

'Who gave you-MaSg that'

b. i-ss-3kna-\0-hi ά-zraf

3MaSgS-(Caus)-show.PerfP-\lSgDat Sg'-money

'He showed me the money.'

c. i-ss-skna-\0-hi-\taen

3MaSgS-(Caus)-show.PerfP-\Dat-lSg-\3MaP10

'He showed them-Ma to me.'

It is also possible to structure a 'give' clause with two "direct" objects, as

long as they are not both expressed as pronominal clitics.

(612) a. akfe-Y α-m-idl-nin e-kaezz

give.PerfP-lSgS Sg-Agent-be.with-lSgPoss Sg-chicken

Ί gave my friend a rooster.' [K-d]

b. ass-akn-aer i-m-idiw-äen-in

Caus-show.PerfP-lSgS Pl-Agent-be.with-MaPl-lSgPoss

e-kaezz

Sg-chicken

Ί showed my friends a rooster.'

If both the theme (direct object) and the recipient are expressed as

pronominals, the recipient must be dative.