Collaborative Research Centre 632 “Information Structure”

Predicate-centered focus types:
A sample-based typological study
in African languages

Project Phase II: 01.07.2011–30.06.2015

Summary

The present project is a continuation of the project B7 which started in September 2009. It investigates predicate-centered focus types from a typological perspective, sampling more than 20 diverse African languages. This sample will partly be extended in the present application phase. It is the only remai¬ning project with a typological approach in the SFB. Based on the results obtained so far, we will focus in the new phase on the following topics, for which not all the languages in our sample will be relevant:

Topic 1: Phase-1 continuation - Encoding of predicate-centered focus in affirmative main clauses

Our previous research will be continued and extended concerning the investigation of:

• the functions of predicate-centered focus types in discourse;
• the organization of tense/aspect (TA) systems in individual languages with respect to predicate-centered focus;
• complex predicate structures;
• syntactic properties of focus structures.

Topic 2: Predicate-centered focus in clause types other than affirmative main clauses (I. Fiedler)

We extend the questions developed in phase 1 for affirmative main clauses to other clause types especially relevant for predicate-centered focus, such as (i) negative main clauses, (ii) selected subordinate clauses, and (iii) yes-no interrogatives and alternative questions.

Topic 3: Synchronic variation and diachronic development of predicate-centered focus

We aim to deepen our investigation by researching its dynamics in terms of (i) possible influence of language contact (here among languages of eastern Mali, K. Prokhorov) and (ii) its stability and variation within a genealogical language group (here Bantu languages, Y. Morimoto).

An overarching goal of the 2nd phase is the development of a cross-linguistic data base on predicate-centered focus. This data base is designed to bring the data of the project and other sources into a unified format and annotation scheme, being searchable for different parameters and ensuring the sustainability of the data.

Project application final phase (English)(PDF)

Examined languages

		Language family	Language	Word order	Tone	Morph. Type
	1	Chadic	Hausa	SVO	+	synth.
	2	Berber	Tamashek	VSO	-	synth.
	3	Semitic	Amharic	SOV	-	synth.
	4	Cushitic	Somali	SOV	+	synth.
	5	Omotic	Gimira~Bench	SOV	+	synth.
	6	Saharan	Kanuri	SOV	+	aggl./synth.
	7	Moru-Madi	Ma’di	SVO/SAuxOV	+	aggl./synth.
	8	Bongo-Bagirmi	Mbay	SVO	+	aggl./synth.
	9	Kuliak	Ik	VSO	+	aggl./synth.
	10	Nilotic-Surmic	Maa	VSO	+	synth.
	11	Songhai	Koyraboro Senni	SVO/SAuxOV	-	isol./aggl.
	12	Nyimang	Ama	SOV	+	aggl.
	13	North Atlantic	Wolof	SVO	-	isol./aggl.
new	14	North Atlantic	Fulfulde	SVO	-	synth.
	15	Mande	Bambara	SAuxOV Other	+	aggl.
new	16	Mande	Bozo	SAuxOV Other	+	isol.
	17	Gur	Supyire	SVO	+	aggl.
	18	Kwa	Aja	SVO	+	isol.
	19	Benue-Kongo	Emai	SVO	+	aggl.
	20	Benue-Kongo	Makhuwa	SVO	+	aggl.
new	21	Benue-Kongo	Kikuyu	SVO	+	aggl.
new	22	Benue-Kongo	Matengo	SVO	+	aggl.
new	23	Benue-Kongo	Zulu or North Sotho	SVO	+	aggl.
	24	Dogon	Mombo	SOV	+	aggl.
new	25	Isolate	Bangeri me	SAuxOVOther	+	isol./aggl.
	26	Ju-ǂHoan	Juǀ’hoan	SVO	+	isol.
	27	Khoe-Kwadi	Namib. Khoekhoe	SOV	+	isol./aggl.
	28	Isolate	Sandawe	SOV	+	isol./aggl.
new	29	Malayo-Polynesian	Malagasy	VOS	-	aggl./synth

Note: Bold = languages with planned detailed discourse analysis