A Grammar of Tamashek (Tuareg of Mali)

12.2 Focalization 645

k. erd-αη ant-asn-ed [a

filth-MaPl 3MaPl ' [Foe

i-s-arhan-asn ara-tsen]

3MaSgS-Caus-be.sick.LoImpfP-Partpl.3MaSg child-MaPl]

'Filth [plural in form], they are what make children sick.' [K]

The ablaut reductions (in the Resit and LoImpfP) typical of definite

relative clauses do not occur in the focus construction, hence the specification

as "indefinite" participial. Note the unreduced LoImpfP -sdss- in (747.e) and

the unreduced Resit -assan- in (747.f)·

In WH-interrogatives, the demonstrative is usually omitted (748), cf.

§12.3.2-9.

(748) Focalization with Interrogative Subject

a. mi i-jla-n

who? 3MaSgS-go.Reslt-Partpl.MaSg

'Who is going?'

b. ml mar-asn e 0-asmmse-t

who? Fut-Partpl.MaSg Fut 3MaSgS-die-Aug

'Who will die?' [R]

12.2.2 Object focalization

If the object is focalized, it is fronted and followed first by Foe morpheme ά
(and any relevant clitics) then by an ordinary subject-inflected verb (749).
There is no resumptive object clitic.

(749) Object Focalization

a. anta [a snhaey-asr]

3Sg [Foe see.PerfP-lSgS]

'It was he/she [focus] that I saw.'

b. kaeyy [a awaet-asr]

2MaSg [Foe hit.PerfP-lSgS]

'It was vou-MaSg [focus] that I hit.'

c. t-a-dsrnu-t-t [a kann-aer]

F-Sg-cream-F-FeSg [Foe make.LoImpfP-lSgS]

'It is millet cream [focus] that I am making.'