A Grammar of Tamashek (Tuareg of Mali)

610 10 Clitics

As described in §10.4, below, the relative ordering of dative and object

clitics is variable. The examples in (679) coexist with alternatives where the

object clitic follows the dative, and grammaticality judgements of some of the

examples shown are variable.

10.4 Ordering of clitics

The basic ordering is that in (680).

(680) Clitic Order

1. host word


2. cliticized preposition (in extraction constructions such as relatives)


3. object and/or dative


4. directional


5. pronominal PP

The host is the clause-initial element that the clitics follow. In a simple

clause it is a preverbal particle (if present), otherwise it is the verb. In a relative

clause it is the clause-internal head, e.g. the head noun in an indefinite relative

but the demonstrative of a definite relative. In focalized and some subordinated

clauses, the host is the demonstrative-like element ά at the beginning of the

clause.

In clauses where a NP complement of a preposition has been extracted

(relatives §12.1, focalized clauses §12.2), and in subordinated clauses that

regularly include a cliticized Instrumental or Comitative preposition

(§13.1.1-2), the preposition cliticizes to the host (and precedes any other

clitics). Examples are (681.a-b).

(681) a. i-rsaej [aAsAha-naerAsd

3MaSg-be.frequent.ResIt [Dem-\Instr-\Dat-lPl-\Centri

i-t-is-\add]

3MaSg-LoImpf-come.LoImpfP-\Centrip]

'Frequently (=it is frequent that) he comes to us.'

b. ma-\daeY-\ha-m-\tasn-\dd

what?-\in-\Dat-2FeSg-\3MaP10-\Centrip

e i-z-asns?

Fut 3MaSgS-Caus-trade.ShImpf

'With (lit.: "in") what will he buy them for you-FeSg?' [K]

In (681.a), i-rsaej 'it is frequent' is the main clause. The subordinated
clause begins with the reduced demonstrative a-\, which serves as host. The
first morpheme following it is the cliticized Instr preposition -\s. The next