A Grammar of Tamashek (Tuareg of Mali)

594 9 Verb phrases and other predications

9.7 Verbs borrowed from French

French verbs are not borrowed as inflectable verbs. Instead, the borrowed verb

stem is accompanied by the verb -vju- 'do' functioning as an auxiliary. The

borrowed stem generally ends in e, which can be taken as a composite of the

productive French infinitive -er, participial -e, "vous" form -ez, and perhaps

the imperfective (-ait, etc.). The borrowed verb functions as direct object of

-vju-. If the sense calls for a real object, this appears as a dative (650.a).

(650) a. je-Y-\a-s2en repdse

do.PerfP-lSgS-\Dat-3MaPl iron

Ί ironed them (=clothes).' [French repasser]

b. i-ja pdse

3MaSgS-do.PerfP pass

'He passed (exam).' [French passer]