A Grammar of Tamashek (Tuareg of Mali)

144 3 Phonology

the two full V's are jointly subject to a stem-level melody <H> or

<L>, the first V is shortened (/u/ —» a, lol ae).

If the verb 'load' (and the one other verb of the same type) are
disregarded, we could forget about lal and formulate the rule to apply only to
/u/ in a stem that (perhaps after u-Spreading) has another u in a subsequent
stem-syllable.

3.4.9.4 V-Shortening processes confined to causative verbs

In causative verbs (derived with -s- prefix, §8.1), we observe a number of
vocalic adjustments relative to the corresponding underived stems. One pattern
is the shortening of a medial full u (there are no relevant combinations with
other full V's), when followed by a CC cluster and at least one further syllable.
This V-Shortening resembles (120) just formulated for underived verbs (and
VblN's), but is more general. Data are in (121), followed by a formulation of
the rule in (122).

(121) Cases of Causative Medial V-Shortening

input gloss causative

a. -hussvl- 'be obligatory' -s-vhvssvl-

b. -mussu- 'move' -s-vmvssu-

(122) Causative Medial V-Shortening

A full V (all examples happen to be u) followed by a CC cluster in

a noninitial, nonfinal syllable is shortened to ν in the basic form of

the causative.

See (469.d-e) in §8.1.6-7 for more examples.

Full V's in final closed syllables are also shortened, as in -s-udvb- (PerfP)

-sess-odasb- 'make drip' from -üdab- 'drip' (or PerfP -adub-).

(123) Causative Final-Syllable V-Shortening, repeated later as (459)

A full V in the final syllable of an underived verb with

imperfective -i/uC(C)aC- is reduced to a short V in the basic form

of the causative.

See (458) in §8.1.5 for more causative examples.

In many cases, stem-initial full V's are also shortened when Causative -s-

is prefixed. For example, -s-vstvk- 'make empty' is the causative of the

gloss

'obligate'

'drive'