232 4 Nominal and pronominal morphology
The gemination formative Γ-f is reliably attached in the PI to a previously
simple stem-final C following a short V (including one due to V-Shortening),
see (206.a,c). Of course Γ-f has no effect if the C in question is already
geminated or otherwise clustered (206.b,d,e). When the final C is preceded by
a full V, Final Gemination does not occur in my T-ka data, but was observed
more often than not in A-grm, see (206.f,g).
The minor types grouped in (206.h), in several cases limited to A-grm
dialect, generally involve final semivowels. The A-grm form 'storage area' is
unusual only insofar as the Sg already has stem accent. 'Front leg' has a Sg
stem-shape -hi- before FeSg suffix complex -t-t, a position where i is
sometimes analysable as /ay/. The PI -hiww has "grown" a w. This PI has no
regular phonological derivation, but there is a pattern of vowel-semivowel
dissimilation (§3.4.10, §4.1.2.17). For 'origin, homeland', Sg stem -ihi-t-t is
compatible with a representation /-ihay-/, and the A-grm PI t-ihi could be
interpreted as having a stem /-ihayy/ compatible with the -CaPP- pattern in
(206.a-b). 'Beaded necklace' has Sg -sasfa, but its plural -sfaww is based on a
theoretical Sg variant /-saefaw/, compare the cases with Syncope and
V-Shortening in (206.c). For 'fire, hell', the A-grm PI -mass for Sg -mse
shows Stem-Final V-Deletion, followed by Schwa-Insertion to give the stem a
minimal syllabic shape. A parallel derivation applies to 'folding'.
Disregarding some irregularities in (206.f-h), and assuming for the
moment a componential rather than templatic PI ablaut, the ingredients needed
to convert Sg to PI in (206) are summarized in (207).
(207) Processes Applying to Final-Accent Ablaut Plurals
accent formative χ-f on final syllable
gemination formative Γ-f (at least after short V) targeting final C
V-Shortening (applies to second syllable of -CvCuC- stems)
Syncope (applies to /a/ in stem-initial -CaCV... stems after prefix)
<H> melody on stem
Stem-Final V-Deletion (for stems of at least two syllables)Let us consider a sample derivation of one of the plurals, assuming a
componential ablaut for these plurals. Obviously we should try to make as
much use as possible of the machinery already needed for other (unsuffixed)
ablaut plurals, i.e. the
Consider the Sg to PI transitions in (208).