The borrowing of aspects as lexical tone classes Y-intial Tuareg verbs in Tasawaq

Studies in African Linguistics

关键词: Tasawaq;    Songhay;    Tuareg;    tone;    perfective;   

DOI  :  10.32473/sal.v36i2.107302

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

In Tasawaq, a Northern Songhay language of Niger, there exists a lexical tone class distinction between stative and active verbs. This tone class distinction only exists in one class of verbs borrowed from Tuareg, verbs with an initial y-. In this article, I argue that the tone class distinction reflects the Tuareg difference between a Short Perfective aspect, used in active contexts, and a Long Perfective aspect, which is mainly found in stative contexts. In Tasawaq, this aspectual distinction has been reinterpreted as a difference in lexical class.

【 授权许可】

Unknown