A Grammar of Tamashek (Tuareg of Mali)

480 8 Verbal derivation

b. -m-

a-m-rattas

a-m-gaggar

'cut each other'

'insult each other'

-CvC(C)vC-

-CvCCvC-

c. -nm-

a-nm-alarr ι

a-nm-alaslas

'harm each other'

'shake each other'

-CvCCu-

-CvCCvC-

d. -nvm- or -m-

a-nm-ajiwad

a-m-jlwsd

'flee each other' -CiCvC-

The reciprocal-causative is common, with -m- (-n-) preceding the sibilant
prefix of the causative (494). I have never heard the -nvm- variant in this
combination. Note that while Q-Gemination applies to an intervocalic C
following a simple Causative prefix, this does not happen when the Causative
prefix is itself preceded by another derivational prefix such as the Recip, so the
d of reciprocal-causative VblN α-n-s-aduban is not geminated as it is in simple
causative VblN α-s-addüban 'cause to marry'. Likewise we get PerfP
-aen-s-sedabaen- and Imprt n-as-aduban with ungeminated d.

(494) Reciprocal-causatives

VblN Recip gloss underived type

a. -m-

a-m-s-adari

a-m-s-anahad

a-m-s-aggad

'make each other plump'

'act in concert, coordinate'

'make each other jump'

-CvCu- (+ -t-)

-CvCvC-

-vPPvC-

b. -n-

a-n-s-adiiban

a-n-s-ükmas

'cause each other to marry' -CuCvC-

' scratch each other' -uCCvC-

The verb in (495), -m-vs-uku- also has the form of a reciprocal-causative,
and can mean 'send to each other', but it often functions (with only a slight
semantic shift) as a transitive meaning 'spread (news)'. Its syllabic structure is
similar to that of -tvruru- (PerfP -aetrara-) 'go down', see §7.3.1.14, and the
two have similar MAN stem paradigms.