Verb Scale IV: taktēb

8.1 Introduction to taktēb Verbs

Taktēb (Scale IV) is the reciprocal stem, whose primary purpose is to make transitive stems intransitive by adding an implication of reciprocity: τακτήβ taktēb “write one another, exchange letters, correspond” (from *ktāb “write”). A great many verbs denoting social interaction are found in this scale due to its reciprocal nature and, in this sense at least, Scale IV verbs are very rarely seen with singular subject agreement. Stative roots may also appear in taktēb, where they indicate transformation: ταλβήν talbēn “become/turn white” (*lbīn “white”), τασδήρ tasdēr “get ready” (*sdīr “ready”).

Its most distinctive feature is the prefixed *t- seen in all forms, although with some roots this *t- will instead be infixed after C₁ in several forms. In Semitic studies this conjugation is known as the tB-Stem, since it was historically derived from the B-Stem (Scale I). Since it is exclusively intransitive, taktēb has no passive counterpart.

8.2 Triconsonantal Roots and taktēb

8.2.1 The Present Tense

The regular present tense is formed by adding prefixes and suffixes to the stem *-tC₁aC₂VC₃-. The 'V' represents the inherent vowel of the root, and so can be either -ā-/-ī-/-ē- (in unsuffixed forms) or -a-/-i-/-e- (in suffixed forms). Outside of the first person singular, the prefix vowel is based on Barth's Law: /i/ if the stem vowel is *ā, or /a/ if the stem vowel is *ī or *ē.

Note that since reciprocal verbs generally can't have singular subjects, several of the forms of the verb τακτήβ taktēb “write each other” shown here and later on (as well as for some other verbs later in this chapter) are hypothetical and are included for demonstrative purposes. On the other hand, all of the forms of ταλβήν talbēn “turn white” are in use, since this verb is not reciprocal in meaning.

8.2.2 The Preterite Tense

The preterite is formed by adding the regular preterite endings to the stem *taC₁C₂ēC₃. They are thus identical in form to the 'aktēb preterite, but with the prefix *ta- rather than *'a-.

8.2.3 The Imperfect Tense

The imperfect tense is formed by adding endings to the stem *taC₁C₂ieC₃. They are thus identical in form to the 'aktēb imperfect, but with the prefix *ta- rather than *'a-.

8.2.4 The Perfective Subjunctive Tense

The perfective subjunctive is formed by adding a special set of prefixes to the stem *-tC₁aC₂VC₃, where 'V' is the short vowel of the inherent root vowel. These prefixes are *vā- (first person singular), *vəna- (first person plural), *vəta- (second person), and *vī- (third person).

8.2.5 The Imperative

The imperative is formed from the stem *tiC₁C₂VC₃-/*taC₁C₂VC₃-, where 'V' is the long version of the root vowel in the masculine singular and the short version elsewhere. Barth's Law applies to the vowel after the initial /t/ ¹ .

8.2.6 Deverbatives

The infinitive is formed from the pattern *matC₁aC₂ēC₃, and the participle from *mitC₁aC₂iC₃.

8.3 Biconsonantal Roots and taktēb

Biconsonantal roots follow a very similar paradigm to triconsonantal roots. However, they retain their internal root vowel in all forms other than the imperfect, where it is replaced by *-ie- for all verbs.

The tables below show the complete conjugation of the verbs τατζείλ tačīl “become cold, get cold” (*čīl “cold”) and ταρ̄ούν tařūn “become hot, turn hot” (*řūn “hot”).

(The prefix vowel *e in the imperative of tařūn is the result of the lowering of original *i due to the following *ř. This lowering does not take place in the present tense due to the intervening -t-.)

8.4 Quadriconsonantal Roots and taktēb

Quadriconsonantal roots cannot appear in Scale IV. Instead, they must use the morphology usually reserved for European loan verbs described in section 13.

8.5 Geminate Roots and taktēb

Geminate roots in taktēb are somewhat complicated, as they switch between triconsonantal- and biconsonantal-like paradigms without a clear pattern. For this reason each tense will be discussed separately. The verb ταμήλ tamēl “promise one another, be engaged” (*mall “promise”) will be used to demonstrate.

8.5.1 The Present Tense

In the present tense, geminate roots behave triconsonantally (with root vowel *ā) when no suffix is present and biconsonantally (with root vowel *a) when a suffix is present.

8.5.2 The Preterite Tense

In the preterite tense, geminate roots always behave biconsonantally, although they have the root vowel *ē like triconsonantal verbs. The gemination only surfaces when followed immediately by a vowel.

8.5.3 The Imperfect Tense

The imperfect tense also behaves biconsonantally, with the usual imperfect marker -ie- generalized as the stem vowel. Gemination only surfaces when followed by a vowel.

8.5.4 The Perfective Subjunctive Tense

All perfective subjunctive forms appear triconsonantal for geminate roots.

8.5.5 The Imperative

The imperative is biconsonantal, with the root vowel *ā in the masculine singular and *a in the feminine singular and plural.

8.5.6 Deverbatives

Both the infinitive and participle behave triconsonantally.

8.6 Weak Roots in Scale IV

8.6.1 C1 = Ř

Root-initial *Ř is completely regular except in forms with prefix vowel /i/ (i.e., the present and imperative of roots with stem vowel *ā or *ū), where it is lowered to /e/. This was seen previously in the conjugation of ταρ̄ούν tařūn “become hot” (*řūn “hot”).

8.6.2 C2 = Ř

Medial *Ř does not trigger any irregularities. Verbs such as ταλρ̄ήβ talřēb “widen, become wide” (*lřāb “wide”) are regular.

8.6.3 C3 = Ř

Root-final *Ř affects the feminine suffix *-ī in the present tense and infinitive, which becomes *-ēyi. The verb τασλήρ̄ təslēř “get lucky” (*tshlār “successful”), for instance, has the form ιτσαλαρ̄ήι yitsalařēyi “she is having good luck” instead of regular **yitsalařī. In addition, the last vowel of the participle is lowered to /e/: μίτσαλερ̄ mitsaleř “lucky, being lucky” (not **mitsaliř).

8.6.4 C1 = '/H

Roots with initial *' and *H behave identically. The root *'mār “say” is one example, giving the Scale IV verb ταηαμήρ tahamēr “say in unison”.

When the prefixed *t of taktēb comes in direct contact with C₁ (in the present, perfective subjunctive, and deverbatives), C₁ drops, the prefixed *t becomes an aspirated *th, and any preceding short vowel is reduced to schwa: νατταμαρού nəthamarū “we are speaking in unison” (not **nit'amarū), в̄είτταμαρ vīthamar “[that] they spoke in unison” (not **vīt'amar).

If C₁ does not come in direct contact with the prefixed *t, then it will always surface as /h/ together with an epenthetic /a/ to prevent illegal clusters: ταηαμήρτυν tahamērtun “you all (m) spoke in unison” (not **ta'mērtun), ταηατιηβού tahatiebū “they were speaking in unison” (not **ta'tiebū).

8.6.5 C2 = '/H

Roots with medial *' or *H (such as *k'ār “be ashamed”, giving τακκήρ təkhēr “become ashamed”) are regular in some forms, and show assimilation in some others.

When C₂ is intervocal (in the present, perfective subjunctive, and deverbatives), the verb conjugates regularly: ατκαώρ 'atka'ār “I am becoming ashamed”, μίτκαιρ mitka'ir “becoming ashamed”.

When C₂ is not intervocal and therefore in contact with C₁, it assimilates into C₁, resulting in gemination or aspiration. If aspiration appears, preceding short vowels will reduce to schwa: τακκήρσ̄ε təkhērše “you (f) became ashamed” (not **tak'ērše), τακκιήρ təkhier “he was becoming ashamed” (not **tak'ier).

8.6.6 C3 = '

As elsewhere, root-final *' behaves erratically. The root *brī' “clear” gives the Scale IV verb ταβρή tabrē “become clear, clear up”.

In the present tense, the glottal stop drops when word-final and is present elsewhere:

The preterite features the special set of aspirated suffixes rather than the normal set. The glottal stop disappears in all forms other than the third person singular feminine and third person plural. Additional contraction takes place in the first person singular:

In the imperfect the glottal stop also drops in all forms other than the third person singular feminine and third person plural. The sequence -ie'e- contracts to just -ie-. The second person plural forms continue to use an aspirated ending.

The glottal stop simply drops in the perfective subjunctive:

The imperative works as expected: the glottal stop drops in the masculine singular (when word-final), and remains in the other forms:

The deverbatives simply lose the glottal stop:

8.6.7 C3 = H

Roots with final *H lose this radical and conjugate as though they were biconsonantal, with inherent vowel *ā. The root *zgāh “crazy, mad”, for instance, behaves as though it were *zāg, giving the verb ταζώγ tazāg “go crazy”. These then follow a regular biconsonantal paradigm.

8.6.8 C1 = Y/W

Initial *Y and *W are regular when serving as the syllable onset, but undergo monophthongization when in coda position (with *ay becoming *ē and *aw becoming *ū). The following tables demonstrate the present tense (regular) and preterite (irregular) of two verbs, τηβής tēbēs “dry out” (*ybīs “dry”) and τουσήν tūsēn “fall asleep” (*wsīn “sleep”).

The preterite of τουσήν tūsēn shown above has some irregular endings due to being a C₃ = *N verb as well, but the effects of monophthongization can still be clearly seen.

8.6.9 C3 = Y/W

Root-final *Y and *W are preserved when intervocalic and lost in all other positions with no change to surrounding vowels. Shown below, for example, are the preterite forms of ταζμή tazmē “become thirsty” (*zmāy “thirsty”) and ταв̄δή tavdē “become empty” (*bdāw “empty”):

8.6.10 C1/C2/C3 = N

Roots with initial *N (as in *nkīr “recognize”, giving τακκήρ təkhēr “recognize each other”) undergo assimilation when followed immediately by C₂, with C₂ becoming geminated or aspirated. They are otherwise regular, although if aspiration appears, it will be accompanied by vowel reduction: νατνακιρού natnakirū “we are recognizing each other”, τακκηρνώ təkhērnā “we recognized each other” (not **tankērnā).

Roots with medial *N (such as ταγνήβ tagnēb “sneak [in/out/away]”, from *gnāb “steal”) are regular.

Root-final *N is irregular only in the two past tenses, where assimilation takes place in a number of forms. With the root *lbīn “white” we get the verb ταλβήν talbēn “become white, turn white”:

8.6.11 C1 = PH/TH/KH/TSH/ČH

Roots with initial aspirates are largely unproblematic. Since C₁ is always in a cluster, it will always surface in an unaspirated state. The only difference between this and the regular paradigms is that any short vowel immediately preceding C₁ will reduce to /ə/. One such root is *phrān “heal”, giving the verb ταπρήν təprēn “heal each other”.

8.6.12 C2 = PH/TH/KH/TSH/ČH

Root-internal aspirates will sometimes surface aspirated and sometimes unaspirated. When intervocalic, the surface realization is always aspirated, resulting in the reduction of the preceding vowel. In other positions, the surface realization is unaspirated, and the conjugation is completely regular. Shown below for reference are the present and preterite tenses of ταλκήν talkēn “kiss each other” (*lkhīn “kiss”, also a C₃=N root):

8.6.13 C3 = PH/TH/KH/TSH/ČH

The most irregular aspirate subclass in Scale IV is, naturally, the C₃ aspirates, although this irregularity is the same as in other scales. The aspiration will only surface when intervocal, short vowels immediately preceding C₃ will reduce to schwa, and the preterite and imperfect use the special set of aspirated endings, plus an epenthetic schwa in some of the second person forms. The chart below demonstrates the conjugation of the verb ταφρήκ tafrēk “get divorced”, from the root *frākh “separate”. Note this this root also contains a C₁ fricative, which undergoes metathesis in certain forms.

8.6.14 C1 = F/V/Ṯ/Ḏ/S/Z/Š/X/Ǧ

Roots with an initial fricative consonant (excluding /h/) undergo metathesis in forms where C₁ comes in direct contact with the prefixed *t marking taktēb verbs. In other words, in the present tense, imperfect subjunctive, and deverbatives, the sequence *-tC₁- becomes *-C₁t-. Shown below are the present and preterite forms of the verb τασδήρ tasdēr “get ready” (*sdīr “ready”).

Note that despite their usual resistance to such irregularities, this metathesis rule applies to biconsonantal verbs as well.

8.6.15 T-Assimilation

The prefixed *t is especially prone to assimilation in the present tense, perfective subjunctive, and deverbatives, when it comes in direct contact with C₁.

When C₁ is *T or *D, the prefix will assimilate completely in these forms, resulting in a geminated (never aspirated!) consonant: *dkīr “remember” → ταδ̄κήρ taḏkēr “remember each other” → ναδδακιρού naddakirū “we remember each other” (not *natdakirū).

When C₁ is *B or *G, the prefix will voice to *d and then lenite to *ḏ: *gnāb “steal” → ταγνήβ tagnēb “sneak [in/out/away]” → νιδ̄γαναβού niḏganabū “we are sneaking [in/out/away]” (not **nitganabū).

When C₁ is a voiced fricative *V/*Ḏ/*Z/*Ǧ, the prefixed *t will first voice to *d and then undergo the usual fricative metathesis: *zmāy “thirsty” → ταζμή tazmē “become thirsty” → νιζδαμαιού nizdamayū “we are becoming thirsty” (not **nitzamayū).

These assimilation rules apply to both triconsonantal and biconsonantal roots.