Focus and topic in Somali

349 Pages·1982·10.254 MB·English

by  Saeed, John Ibrahim

FOCUS AND TOPIC IN SOMALI
by
John Ibrahim Saeed
A Dissertation
Submitted in Fulfillment of
the Requirements of the Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
at the School of Oriental & African Studies, London University
June 1982
ProQuest Number: 10672706
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2
ABSTRACT
This study is a description of the sytax of focus and topic in
Somali, a Cu.sh.itic language spoken in the Horn of Africa. The analysis
is within the framework of transformational generative grammar; more
particularly, in the Extended Standard Theory, or ’autonomous systems
approach1* However the study seeks to he intelligible to linguists
working within other frameworks since it is the first description of
Somali syntax: of any length in English, and only the second in any
language,
The study is" concerned with the syntactic structure marking certain
roles noun phrases may fulfill in discourse, For example, HPs which
are new information must in Somali be introduced into discourse by a
focus structure involving either clefts or one containing the 'focus
words' baa and ayaa. This and other uses of focus in discourse are
briefly discussed and the importance of these structures to Somali
syntax becomes clear in the analysis which, involving a rule of Focus
Fronting, deals with important rules of the grammar including yes-no
and VH-questions, and relativisation; in addition to those governing
the differentiation of sentence types, and subject-verb concord.
Verbal focus is discussed, and it is concluded that no syntactic
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structure of verb focus exists to parallel that of NP focus*
The role of topic structures in conversation is briefly discussed,
and a syntactic derivation proposed* It is argued that these constr­
uctions, in which an KP precedes (and is outside) a sentence, must be
directly generated by the phrase structure rules of the base, and that
no movement rules are involved. It is a general conclusion of the
study that there are no syntactic rules in Somali which move elements
across a sentence boundary, although there are several rearrangement
rules operating within root sentences.
It becomes clear that the grammaticalisation of pragmatic functions
is at the core of Somali syntax.
4
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
In writing this study I am deeply indebted to Professor B.W.,
Andrzejewski. The work itself rests on the firm foundation of his
studies of Somali grammar over thirty years, while my personal debt
of gratitude is greater still since Professor Andrzejewski was res­
ponsible both for teaching me Somali, and for awakening my interest
in linguistics, I gladly take this opportunity to voice my thanks,
I have benefited greatly from the comments and criticism of my
supervisor, Ruth Kempson, who I thank for her encouragement and
energy. This gratitude extends to all the members of the Linguist­
ics Dept, of SOAS who have tried to teach me how to do linguistics.
Special thanks in this respect are due to Richard Hayward, both
for his teaching, and for many hours of conversations on matters
grammatical. Other people I would like to thank for their con­
tributions, direct or indirect, are Francesco Antinucci, Fritz
Serzisko, Mary Macintosh, and Halimah Awang*
I must thank the Somali National University for the hospitality
extended to me during my stay in Mogadishu, 1978-1979* My list of
informants and advisors just about extends to the whole of the
staff and students of that university, but I thank in particular
5
the following, who bore with remarkable cheerfulness the indignities
to which I subjected their language: Ismaciil Cali Faarax, Ibraahin
Aadan Siciid, Axmed 'Dhegaweyne' Cabdirahman, Ibraahin 'George1,
Cabdulaahi Jumcaale; and in London, Maxamed Riirash and Cabdirahman
Faarax.
My studies were financially supported by a University of London
Studentship; and by awards from the School of Oriental & African
Studies, and the Central Research Funds Committee of London Univer­
sity. I gratefully acknowledge the support of these institutions.
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CONTESTS
Page
ABSTRACT..................... 2
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ......................................... 4
Chapter
1. INTRODUCTION..................................... 8
2. INTRODUCTION TO FOCUS AND TOPIC STRUCTURES ..... 19
2.1 Introduction ......... 19
2.2 Terminology ................ 20
2,5 Focus Structures .......................... 28
2.4 Topic Structures ...... 45
2.5 Focus, Topic t and WordO rder ...... 50
5. VAXA CLEFTS AND CLEFT REDUCTION 6l '
^ - ■ ■» 1 ' ■
3.1' Introduction ..... D1
3.2 Arguments for Cleft Reduction.......... ^5
3*3 Counter Arguments Considered............... 75
3.4 Conclusion ...... 92
3.5 The Rules ............................ . 94
4, NP FOCUS STRUCTURES WITH BAA AND AYAA............. Ill
4.1 Introduction ....... Ill
4.2 Arguments for Baa Fronting ......... 117
4.3 Conclusion................................ 162
4.4 H 1© Rules ..... 166
5. FOCUS FRONTING AND WH-MOYEMENT............ 178
5.1c Introduction ..................... 178
5*2 WH-Movement Rules ............. 179
5. 3 Focus Fronting........... ........ 188
5.4 WH-Questions ... 197
5.5 Conclusion ..... 228
Page
Chapter
6. VAA AND THEP ROBLEM OP VERB POORS............. 232
6.1 Introduction ..... 232
6.2 Problems with a Verb Pocus Particle.........234
6*3 Waa and the Identification of Sentence Types, 265
6.4 Conclusion ...... 273
6.3 The Rules .............. ........ 274
7. THE DERIVATION OP TOPIC STRRCTDRES ...................284
7.1 Introduction ............ 284
7.2 Arguments Against a Movement Analysis ... 290
7.3 Arguments Against a Double HP Analysis 307
7*4 The Phrase Structure Rule Analysis ..........3^6
7*5 Conclusion .................................. 327
7*6 The Rules ...... 329
8. . CONCLUSION ......... 336
INDEX OP RULES............................................ 339
BIBLIOGRAPHY 340
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Chapter 1
Introduction
1,1, The central aim of this study is to provide a descrip­
tion of a particular area of Somali syntax, namely the structures
of focus and topic. The use of these terms and the major charac­
teristics of these structures are discussed in Chapter Two below.
It will become clear there that these structures are the means
by which pragmatic functions are grammaticalised. It seems
reasonable to assume that in every language there are, at some
level, means of arranging the presentation of information in
discourse in ways that are relevant to the background provided
by context, speaker and hearer assumptions etc. Some of these
devices will allow parts of utterances to be identified as either
old and assumed, or as new information. Similarly, elements may
be given prominence by some choice of the speaker.
In Somali these devices are part of the basic struct­
ure of sentences. For example, the focusing of a particular HP,
as shown in the sentences below,1 has been described by Andrzej-
ewski (1975 , 1979) as affecting such basic morphological oper­
ations as case marking, subject-verb concord, and person
9
differentiation in verbal paradigms:
( 1 ) Cali ninkii bu.u lacagtii siinayaa
Ali man+the FOCUS+he money+the give
’Ali, he will give THE MAN the money.’
( 3 ) Cali lacagtii buu ninkii siinayaa
Ali money+the FOCUS+he man+the give
’Ali, he will give the man THE MONET. 1
( 3 ) Cali baa ninkii laoagtii siinaya
Ali FOCUS man+the money+the give
'ALI will give the man the money.'
The analysis of the syntax of focus in this study will demonstrate
that, for instance, such structures are part of the grammar of
relative clauses; that they are basic to the derivation of VH-
questions; and that no description of surface word order can be
made without an analysis of them. They are, in short, at the
centre of Somali syntax.
Similarly, as will be described in Chapter Two, topic
structures are the syntactic reflection of roles fulfilled by
NPs in particular discourse contexts, enabling certain types of
assumptions or presuppositions to be read off sentence structure.
That the grammatical description of topics occupies less of this