Demonstratives as markers of pragmatic prominence in Paluai (Admiralties, Oceanic)
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Dineke Schokkin
Abstract
This chapter discusses how pragmatic prominence is managed in the grammar of Paluai (Admiralties; Oceanic), with a particular focus on the demonstrative system. It shows how demonstratives are used to manage the flow of information on the discourse-structural level, the information-structural level and the referential level, and how these levels are interrelated. The chapter pays specific attention to a topicalisation operation in which a constituent marked by the intermediate demonstrative can occupy the clause-initial position, favoured for highly salient given information. There is also a detailed treatment of the assignment of focus. The chapter argues that in Paluai, even though it clearly has a subject/objectbased clause structure, pragmatic prominence still plays an important role in the grammatical expression of discourse organisation.
Abstract
This chapter discusses how pragmatic prominence is managed in the grammar of Paluai (Admiralties; Oceanic), with a particular focus on the demonstrative system. It shows how demonstratives are used to manage the flow of information on the discourse-structural level, the information-structural level and the referential level, and how these levels are interrelated. The chapter pays specific attention to a topicalisation operation in which a constituent marked by the intermediate demonstrative can occupy the clause-initial position, favoured for highly salient given information. There is also a detailed treatment of the assignment of focus. The chapter argues that in Paluai, even though it clearly has a subject/objectbased clause structure, pragmatic prominence still plays an important role in the grammatical expression of discourse organisation.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- Prominence in Austronesian: An introduction 1
- The role of prominence in Katripul Puyuma: Voice and coding of arguments in two-place predicates 19
- Prominence and the (non-)correspondence between topic and subject in Saisiyat 55
- Information structure and syntactic choices in Kelabit 91
- The role of prominence in post-verbal word order alternation in Javanese applicatives 129
- The dynamic grammar and socio-pragmatics of prominence in Balinese 169
- Discourse, prominence, and morphosyntax: Managing information structure in Tukang Besi 201
- Accessibility and prominence in the Amarasi NP 229
- Demonstratives as markers of pragmatic prominence in Paluai (Admiralties, Oceanic) 267
- Animacy as a prominence-lending feature in Lakurumau morphosyntax and discourse 305
- Index 329
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- Prominence in Austronesian: An introduction 1
- The role of prominence in Katripul Puyuma: Voice and coding of arguments in two-place predicates 19
- Prominence and the (non-)correspondence between topic and subject in Saisiyat 55
- Information structure and syntactic choices in Kelabit 91
- The role of prominence in post-verbal word order alternation in Javanese applicatives 129
- The dynamic grammar and socio-pragmatics of prominence in Balinese 169
- Discourse, prominence, and morphosyntax: Managing information structure in Tukang Besi 201
- Accessibility and prominence in the Amarasi NP 229
- Demonstratives as markers of pragmatic prominence in Paluai (Admiralties, Oceanic) 267
- Animacy as a prominence-lending feature in Lakurumau morphosyntax and discourse 305
- Index 329
