Abstract
The origin of the Umbrian perfect suffix -nç-/-ns`- has been variously explained, but none of the theories proposed so far is satisfactory at the same time from a philological, semantic, typological, and word-formational point of view. After a critical review, the present paper proposes a derivation from a periphrastic structure {(action) noun in the accusative + perfect of *fak-‘to make, do’}, which was univerbated and underwent a series of regular sound changes in Umbrian. A number of close parallels in various Indo-European languages are pointed out, and it is suggested that the Umbrian periphrasis became so successful because its phonological shape at some point allowed a syntactic reanalysis as {part.pres.act. + perfect of *fak-}.
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