Re: Celtic and Afro-Asiatic?

On 9/14/05, Ph.D. <phil@...> wrote:
> Patrick Littell wrote:
> >
> > . . .  Malagasy (VOS) exhibits initial consonant mutation.
>
>
> Do you have any examples?  I've been reading a textbook of
> Malagasy. I'm about halfway through it, and I don't recall seeing
> any examples of initial consonant mutation.
>
> --Ph. D.
>
Sure.  It's the genitive "stop" mutation used... well, used all over
the place.  For forming genitive "compounds", for putting agents in
the genitive/ergative (depending on how you want to analyze it) after
passive/circumstantial verbs, for incorporation, and even on the
reduplicant of weak roots.

f => p
    satroka + fotsy = satro-potsy (white hat)
s => ts
    orona + saka = oron-tsaka (cat's nose)
h => k
    amina + hafaliana = amin'kafaliana (with happiness)
r => dr
    namana + Rabe = naman-dRabe (Rabe's friend)
    (certainly you've come across our good friend dRabe... since by
    law 50% of Malagasy example sentences must reference Rabe.)
v => b
    paiso + vazaha = paisom-bazaha (plum "foreigner's peach")
z => j
    manana + zanaka = manan-janaka (has children)
l => d
    mitarika + lalana = mitari-dalana (leads the way)

You could analyze it differently -- you could say, if you wanted, that
it was a sort of "combining form" -- but to my eye it's a pretty
typical case of initial consonant mutation.  Your textbook probably
analyzes it differently, 'cuz there's no way it could teach Malagasy
and avoid the "stop" mutation.

--
Patrick Littell
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