3. Verbal morphology

Abstract

This chapter aims to evaluate the similarities and differences between the verbal systems of the Jewish dialect of Gabes and other Maghrebi dialects. Notably, both Jewish Gabes and Jewish Djerba exhibit gender distinction in the 2FS forms marked by the /-i/ suffix, a feature absent in Jewish Tunis, where masculine forms are also used for the feminine. The study affirms the sedentary nature of Jewish Gabes, indicated by the /-āw/ suffix in verbs with a weak third radical in stem I, in contrast to the /u/ found in Bedouin dialects. Regarding the vowel distribution of stem I verbal forms, Jewish Gabes shares similarities with neighbouring Jewish dialects, particularly in the basic theme vowel being /ə/ or /a/ in proximity to gutturals. In contrast, Muslim dialects and Jewish Wad-Souf demonstrate a broader array of vowel qualities. Additionally, the analysis reveals that Jewish Gabes has developed an alternative method for expressing the passive voice, a bipartite construction involving an active verb with a personal object pronoun.