Reconstructing the Proto-Berber Verb System in Afro-Asiatic Perspective

The central piece of this contribution is the reconstruction of the Proto-Berber aspectual and diathetic system. On the basis of Tuareg, Tamazight, and Kabyle the basic imperfective form of Proto-Berber is reconstructed with the second radical reduplicated *yi-kārras “he is binding”; two monosyllabic forms with different vocalic pattern are found in the formation of “aorist” (unmarked) and perfect, *ya-kris and *yu-kras. The dichotomy of the disyllabic imperfective versus the monosyllabic aorist and perfect can be projected back to a Common Afro-Asiatic stage where several disyllabic imperfective forms (with or without a lengthened radical vowel, and with or without the reduplication of C2) ya-CaCaC, ya-CaCCaC, ya-CāCaC, ya-CāCCaC can be reconstructed. As in Semitic and Old Cushitic, the workings of ablaut are observed in both the radical, and thematic vowel (cf. Akkadian i-parras “he separates” vs. intensive (imperfective) u-parras vs. intensive perfective u-uparris): Beja (Old Cushitic) danbíil “he collects,” Ɂi-dbíl “he collected,” Ɂii-dbíl “he has collected”). During their history, the Afro-Asiatic languages diverged considerably in the renewal of the marked category of perfect.