Schwarz, Anne (2007) The particles lé and lá in the grammar of Konkomba. Interdisciplinary Studies on Information Structure, 8. pp. 115-139.

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Abstract

The paper investigates focus marking devices in the scarcely documented North-Ghanaian Gur language Konkomba. The two particles lé and lá occur under specific focus conditions and are therefore regarded as focus markers in the sparse literature. Comparing the distribution and obligatoriness of both alleged focus markers however, I show that one of the particles, lé, is better analyzed as a connective particle, i.e. as a syntactic rather than as a genuine pragmatic marker, and that comparable syntactic focus marking strategies for sentence-initial constituents are also known from related languages.

Item ID:	17825
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISBN:	978-3-939469-72-8
ISSN:	1866-4725
Keywords:	Gur language, syntax, focus, morphological focus marking, syntactic focus marking, conjunction, topic-comment, Konkomba
Additional Information:	Interdisciplinary studies on information structure: ISIS; Working papers of the SFB 632. - Vol. 8
Date Deposited:	02 Nov 2011 03:59
FoR Codes:	20 LANGUAGE, COMMUNICATION AND CULTURE > 2004 Linguistics > 200408 Linguistic Structures (incl Grammar, Phonology, Lexicon, Semantics) @ 100%
SEO Codes:	97 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 970120 Expanding Knowledge in Language, Communication and Culture @ 100%
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