Why contrast matters
-
Mauro Tosco
Abstract
The article discusses the information structure of Gawwada, an East Cushitic language of Southwest Ethiopia, along the lines of the Prague School and Lambrecht’s (1994) theory. Gawwada does not have any dedicated focus-marking device – contrary to previous preliminary statements and in stark contrast with many Cushitic languages of the Horn of Africa. Moreover, it is argued that the category of focus itself is only scarcely grammaticalized in this language. It is rather “Contrast”, marked through a clitic element =kka, which is central to the information structure of the language. It is also argued that possibly other purported Focus Markers of other Cushitic languages (most notably Somali) may be interpreted, at least partially, as markers of contrast. Other pragmatic-marking strategies discussed in the article include the presence vs. absence of Subject-Verb agreement, the presence vs. absence of Subject Clitics, and, to a lesser degree, word order change and object-incorporation.
Abstract
The article discusses the information structure of Gawwada, an East Cushitic language of Southwest Ethiopia, along the lines of the Prague School and Lambrecht’s (1994) theory. Gawwada does not have any dedicated focus-marking device – contrary to previous preliminary statements and in stark contrast with many Cushitic languages of the Horn of Africa. Moreover, it is argued that the category of focus itself is only scarcely grammaticalized in this language. It is rather “Contrast”, marked through a clitic element =kka, which is central to the information structure of the language. It is also argued that possibly other purported Focus Markers of other Cushitic languages (most notably Somali) may be interpreted, at least partially, as markers of contrast. Other pragmatic-marking strategies discussed in the article include the presence vs. absence of Subject-Verb agreement, the presence vs. absence of Subject Clitics, and, to a lesser degree, word order change and object-incorporation.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction vii
- Information structure marking in Sandawe texts 1
- Topic and focus fields in Naki 35
- The relation between focus and theticity in the Tuu family 69
- Focus marking in Aghem 95
- On the obligatoriness of focus marking 117
- Focalisation and defocalisation in Isu 145
- Discourse function of inverted passives in Makua-Marevone narratives 165
- Topic-focus articulation in Taqbaylit and Tashelhit Berber 193
- Focus in Atlantic languages 233
- Topic and focus construction asymmetry 261
- Verb-and-predication focus markers in Gur 287
- Why contrast matters 315
- Focus and the Ejagham verb system 349
- Language index 377
- Subject index 379
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction vii
- Information structure marking in Sandawe texts 1
- Topic and focus fields in Naki 35
- The relation between focus and theticity in the Tuu family 69
- Focus marking in Aghem 95
- On the obligatoriness of focus marking 117
- Focalisation and defocalisation in Isu 145
- Discourse function of inverted passives in Makua-Marevone narratives 165
- Topic-focus articulation in Taqbaylit and Tashelhit Berber 193
- Focus in Atlantic languages 233
- Topic and focus construction asymmetry 261
- Verb-and-predication focus markers in Gur 287
- Why contrast matters 315
- Focus and the Ejagham verb system 349
- Language index 377
- Subject index 379
