GRAMMATICALIZATION AND LEXICALIZATION IN THE VERBAL SYSTEM OF HAMITOSEMITIC

The aim of the paper is to overview the processes of grammaticalization and lexicalization in the verbal system of hamitosemitic. Hamitosemitic/Afroasiatic 'prefix-conjugations' go back to original periphrastic constructions although not only periphrastic constructions and nominal sentences but also inflexional verbal categories must have existed in Proto-Hamitosemitic dialect cluster. Proto-Egyptian lost periphrastic constructions with preposed auxiliary already before they could be grammaticalized. At least four different 'suffix-conjugations' should be reconstructed for Proto-Semitic not only on the basis of internal Semitic reconstruction but also in the light of Egyptian evidence. Also active participle 'qbtil' and its variant 'qattil' have played a part in the development of verbal categories.