The Oscan perfect in -TT-

Oscan secondary verbs form their perfect with a suffix -tt-, whose origin has been much debated. After a critical review of earlier suggestions, which have assumed either a reanalysis within a specific model paradigm or some periphrastic source, a new periphrastic theory is presented. According to this proposal, the perfect in -tt- is to be traced back to the past perfective variant of a progressive periphrasis involving a present participle + auxiliary stand (for be). Such a combination not only provides a phonologically satisfactory starting point for the attested Oscan forms, but it also enjoys typological support from comparable progressive periphrases both in the Sabellic (Osco-Umbrian) subgroup of Italic and in the closely related history of Latin/Romance.