A Grammar of Tamashek (Tuareg of Mali)

42 3 Phonology

3.2 Local assimilations and syllabification rules

3.2.1 CC-cluster rules

3.2.1.1 Stem-final C plus stop-initial suffix or clitic

Within words, i.e. at the boundary between a stem and a suffix (or clitic), or
between a suffix and a following suffix or clitic, certain C C-cluster
assimilations apply. Most of the C-initial suffixes/clitics begin in t and k,
notably FeSg -t, 3MaPl object clitic -\t, and some other pronominal clitics
beginning in t or k. The assimilations, including "vacuous" cases where the
output is identical to the input, are listed in (30).

(30) CC-cluster Assimilations (Suffix Boundary)

C plus t C plus k

1.. regressive voicing assimilation only

a. assimilation is vacuous

st > st

st > st

ht > ht

pt > pt

ft > ft

tt > tt

xt > xt

pk > pk

fk > fk

tk > tk

tk >I I tk

sk > sk

sk > sk

hk > hk

kk > kk

xk > xk

b. produces geminate (j treated as g)

dt > tt

jk > kk

gk > kk

c. produces nongeminate cluster

bt > pt bk > pk

dk > tk

dkI I > tk

zt

zt

?t

>

>

>

st

st

hk

zk > sk

zk > sk

?k > hk