Home Chapter 11. Modal particles in Basque
Chapter
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

Chapter 11. Modal particles in Basque

Two cases of interaction between ote and information structure
  • Sergio Monforte
View more publications by John Benjamins Publishing Company
Search
Information-Structural Perspectives on Discourse Particles
This chapter is in the book Information-Structural Perspectives on Discourse Particles

Abstract

The interaction between modal particles and information structure has received no attention within Basque linguistics. Although the standard behaviour of modal particles in Basque shows, no connection with information structure, in this article I present two dialectal uses only found in Eastern Basque where the discourse particle ote interacts with focus: on the one hand, ote, which can behave as a weak adverb in these varieties, is only licensed when there is narrow focus occupying the Focus Phrase. On the other hand, the particle can attach wh-words creating a configuration also found in languages such as German or Japanese as will be discussed throughout the article; this combination seems to attract emphasis for intensity cross-linguistically.

Abstract

The interaction between modal particles and information structure has received no attention within Basque linguistics. Although the standard behaviour of modal particles in Basque shows, no connection with information structure, in this article I present two dialectal uses only found in Eastern Basque where the discourse particle ote interacts with focus: on the one hand, ote, which can behave as a weak adverb in these varieties, is only licensed when there is narrow focus occupying the Focus Phrase. On the other hand, the particle can attach wh-words creating a configuration also found in languages such as German or Japanese as will be discussed throughout the article; this combination seems to attract emphasis for intensity cross-linguistically.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction 1
  4. Part I. The contribution of information structural strategies to the rise of discourse particles
  5. Chapter 1. Discourse particle position and information structure 27
  6. Chapter 2. Information-structural properties of is that clauses 47
  7. Chapter 3. Kazakh particle ğoj as an existential operator 71
  8. Chapter 4. From focus marking to illocutionary modification 111
  9. Part II. Information structure as a factor in the interpretation of polysemic and polyfunctional particles
  10. Chapter 5. Final or medial 135
  11. Chapter 6. Types and functions of wa -marked DPs and their structural distribution in a Japanese sentence 161
  12. Chapter 7. Is the information-structural contribution of modal particles in the syntax, in discourse structure, or in both? 177
  13. Part III. The contribution of discourse particles to the information-structural characterization of illocutionary acts
  14. Chapter 8. Discourse particles in thetic judgments, in dependent sentences, and in non-finite phrases 195
  15. Chapter 9. Information structure, null case particle and sentence final discourse particle 223
  16. Chapter 10. The discourse marker hani in Turkish 251
  17. Chapter 11. Modal particles in Basque 277
  18. Language index 301
  19. Subject Index 303
https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.213.11mon

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction 1
  4. Part I. The contribution of information structural strategies to the rise of discourse particles
  5. Chapter 1. Discourse particle position and information structure 27
  6. Chapter 2. Information-structural properties of is that clauses 47
  7. Chapter 3. Kazakh particle ğoj as an existential operator 71
  8. Chapter 4. From focus marking to illocutionary modification 111
  9. Part II. Information structure as a factor in the interpretation of polysemic and polyfunctional particles
  10. Chapter 5. Final or medial 135
  11. Chapter 6. Types and functions of wa -marked DPs and their structural distribution in a Japanese sentence 161
  12. Chapter 7. Is the information-structural contribution of modal particles in the syntax, in discourse structure, or in both? 177
  13. Part III. The contribution of discourse particles to the information-structural characterization of illocutionary acts
  14. Chapter 8. Discourse particles in thetic judgments, in dependent sentences, and in non-finite phrases 195
  15. Chapter 9. Information structure, null case particle and sentence final discourse particle 223
  16. Chapter 10. The discourse marker hani in Turkish 251
  17. Chapter 11. Modal particles in Basque 277
  18. Language index 301
  19. Subject Index 303
Sign up now to receive a 20% welcome discount
Institutional Access
How does access work?
Have an idea on how to improve our website?
Please write us.
© 2025 De Gruyter Brill
Downloaded on 3.10.2025 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1075/slcs.213.11mon/html
Scroll to top button