A Grammar of Tamashek (Tuareg of Mali)

676 13 Clausal subordination

13.3.1 'want' (-vrhi>)

a-\d is also found with -vrhu- 'want'. Below are examples with positive

(819.a) and negative (819.b-c) complements. The alternative is a VblN

complement. This is the case in (819.d), which negates the higher 'want' verb.

(819) a.

b.

c.

d.

i-rhd [a-\d n-snzsr]

3MaSgS-want.Reslt [DemAComit lPlS-sing.Shlmpf]

'He wants us to sing.'

i-rhd [a-\d waer

3MaSgS-want.Reslt [DemAComit Neg

'He wants us not to sing (now).'

i-rhd [a-\d wsr

3MaSgS-want.Reslt [DemAComit Neg

'He wants us not to sing (any more)'

or: '... not to keep singing.'

n-anzer]

lPlS-sing.PerfN]

na-naszzasr]

lPlS-sing.Prohib]

waer aerhe-γ

Neg want.PerfN-lSgS

Ί don't want to see it.'

a-haenay-annes

Sg-see.VbIN-3SgPoss

13.3.2 'be able' (-dubu- + -t) and 'prefer' (-suf-)

-dubi> (+ -t) 'be able' (820.a-e) takes Shlmpf verbs in the complement, while

-suf- 'prefer' (820.f) can take e.g. LoImpfP and Resit verbs. (820.a) shows the

usual dropping of the cliticized preposition Ad when another clitic is present.

(820.e) has a negation in each of the main and subordinated clauses. (820.f)

shows the use of a LoImpfP complement to specify an extended time span.

(820) a. wasr seddobe-r
Neg be.able.PerfP-1 SgS
[aAtt 3W3t-a2r]
[Dem-\3MaSgO hit.Shlmpf-lSgS]
Ί can't hit him.'

b. waer seddobe-r

Neg be.able.PerfP-1 SgS

[a-\d waer jall-aer]

[DemAComit Neg go.LoImpfN-lSgS]

Ί can't not go.'