A Grammar of Tamashek (Tuareg of Mali)

13.2 Purposive and causal clauses 671

13.2 Purposive and causal clauses

13.2.1 Purposives ('in order that...') (y aAd, aAd, y)

The purposive clause is a simple relative clause under the scope of a Dative.
Canonically, it begins with y (prevocalic Dative allomorph), followed by the
unmarked demonstrative a, then any clitics. If there is no other clitic, Comit
-\d is added, then the remainder of the clause, with a Shlmpf verb. In other
words, this is a PP with a clause headed by Dem ά as the complement of the
preposition.
Since the purposive clause is finite, its form does not depend on whether
its subject is coindexed with the subject of the main clause. Thus (806.a-b)
have the same purposive clause ('that he see me'), though only in (806.a) is the
subject 'he' coindexed with the main-clause subject.

(806) a. 0-osa-\hl-\dd
3MaSgS-arrive.PerfP-\lSgO-\Centrip
[y α-/Κί i-nhay]
[Dat DemAlSgO 3MaSgS-see.ShImpf]
'He came to me, in order that he see me (=to see me).'

b. ose-rAidd

arrive.PerfP-lSgSACentrip

[y a-\hl i-nhsy]

[Dat DemAlSgO 3MaSgS-see.ShImpf]

Ί came, in order that he see me.'

c. 1-kkasl ae-bori

3MaSgS-pick.up.PerfP Sg-stick

[y α-Vhi i-wat]

[Dat Dem-\lSgO 3MaSgS-hit.ShImpfP]

'He picked up the stick, in order that he hit me.'

d. i-jrswAadd dzraf

3MaSgS-find.PerfP-\Centrip money

[y a-\d sqqan-aer]

[Dat DemAComit build.Shlmpf-lSgS]

'He got (and brought) money, in order that I build.'

e. t-asqqdl [y aAha-s

3FeSg-wait.Reslt [Dat Dem-\Dat-3Sg

l-s-asnn ae-hdbs]

3MaSgS-Caus-be.cooked.ShImpf] Sg-man]

'She (just) sits (waiting) for the man to cook for her.' [K]