A Grammar of Tamashek (Tuareg of Mali)

12.1 Relativization 631

b. ae-hatas [w-α mar anhsy-ser]

[Ma-Dem.Sg Fut see.Shlmpf-lSgS]

'the man whom I will see'

Another context calling for χ-pcl Erasure is after Iket in the 'have just
VERB-ed' construction (§13.6.6). This supports the view that this construction
is treated as a definite relative clause, albeit reduced in form, with iket as the
head (there is no following demonstrative). The form iket is also a noun
'quantity' or 'good behavior'.
Indefinite object relatives, i.e. those with no demonstrative after the head
noun, undergo no reduction in main-clause ablaut features. For example,
(723.a-c) show unreduced Resit stems with ά in the second syllable. (723.c)
also has unreduced α in war-zen, though a phrasal accent overrides the ablaut
accent (/-war-/).

(723) a. [haeraet szzay-aer]

[thing know.Reslt-lSgS]

'a thing that I know'

b. masan le-r [ekraer ajmdr-asr]

but have.Reslt-lSgS [ram raise.Reslt-lSgS]

'But I have a ram that I have fattened.' [K]

c. asqqdl-aer

become.Reslt-lSgS

[ae-wadam war-sen n0-s-an]

[Sg-human be.on.Reslt-3MaPlS Pl-meat-MaPl]

Ί am a person whom flesh is on (=who is chubby).' [K]

12.1.3 'something to eat'

Constructions of the type 'something/nothing for (someone) to eat' are definite
relative clauses headed by a minimal demonstrative ά. With a preceding 'have'
or 'find' (positive or negative), the verb in the 'something to' clause takes the
Resit stem (with χ-pcl erased as usual in definite relatives), or sometimes the
PerfP stem, and shows normal subject agreement.

(724) a. war ale-η [a sksae-n]
Neg have.PerfN-3MaPlS [Dem eat.Reslt-3MaPlS]
'They have nothing to eat.' (lit. "... don't have what they eat")

b. war ale-r [a snne-r]

Neg have.PerfN-lSgS [Dem say.Reslt-lSgS]

Ί have nothing to say.' (lit. "... don't have what I say")