Chapter 8
Verbal derivation
The major verb-to-verb derivations are expressed by prefixes immediately
preceding the verb stem. These derived verbs take regular subject prefixes and
suffixes. The derivations are the usual valency modifications: causative,
passive, mediopassive, and reciprocal. Of course, the causative adds an
argument while the others reduce the argument structure. The derivational
prefixes readily combine with each other.
True reflexives are not expressed by prefixal derivation, rather by the use
of a possessed form ofl-m-αη 'self, soul' (§15.1), which is morphologically
plural, in the appropriate non-subject position (object, dative, etc.).
Also discussed in this chapter are deverbal nominalizations and participles
of various kinds.
8.1 Causative (-s-, -s-, -s-, -ζ-, -ζ-, -ζ-, -svw-)
8.1.1 Causative derivation
The causative derivation is very productive. Although most examples involve
an intransitive base, there are also a fair number of causatives of transitive
bases, like 'cause to look for' in the second clause of the proverb (449.a).
(449.b) is a similar example from everyday speech. Both examples involve
parallelism between simple and causative versions of the same transitive verb.
(449) a. attar [a w-ά t-arhe-d],
seek.Imprt [Dem Ma-Dem.Sg 2S-want.PerfP-2SgS],
s-utar
Caus-seek.Imprt
[a w-a waer t-arhe-d]
Dem Ma-Dem.Sg Neg 2S-want.PerfN-2SgS]
'Seek (yourself) for what you want; have (others) seek what
you don't want.'
b. kaemm aenr-\add i-karwat-aen Yds
you-FeSg kill.Imprt-\Centrip Pl-lamb-MaPl only
dasY ae-rojj, t-ajay-ad-\taen, meY
in Sg-bush, 2S-tie.ShImpf-2SgS-\3MaP10, or