The SThe Somaliomali systemsystem::A A typologicaltypological perspectiveperspective

Mara FrascarelliMara FrascarelliUniversity of Roma TreUniversity of Roma Tre««Center of Somali Center of Somali StudiesStudies»»

Approches sociolinguistique et linguistique

des langues de Mayotte et de DjiboutiIRIHS -Université de Rouen, 19.01.2016

“Somali Studies”…from data to theory…

� Working within a framework that assumes universal principles of grammar, the description of a language is the first step of linguistic investigation.

� Then, morpho-syntactic and intonational properties has been considered from a comparative perspective, in order to reach a comprehensive analysis of the structure and functioning of languages.

� The aim of this presentation is to offer a short but, hopefully, significant overview of this analytical approach.

1. 1. MorphologicalMorphological classificationclassification

According to their morphological properties, According to their morphological properties, llanguagesanguagesof the world can be classified as of the world can be classified as -- inflectional,inflectional,-- agglutinative, agglutinative, -- polpoliisyntheticsynthetic,,-- isolating. isolating. (cf. (cf. ComrieComrie 1981, Croft 1991).1981, Croft 1991).

SomaliSomali

�������� InflectionalInflectional languagelanguage, , asas isis shownshown byby itsits verbalverbal system. system. ConsiderConsider a a verbverb likelike sheegsheeg ((‘‘toto saysay’’):):

presentpresent presentpresent progressiveprogressive pastpast

1sg1sg sheegaasheegaa sheegayaasheegayaa sheegaysheegay

2sg2sg sheegtaasheegtaa sheegaysaasheegaysaa sheegtaysheegtay

3sgm3sgm sheegaasheegaa sheegayaasheegayaa sheegaysheegay

3sf3sf sheegtaasheegtaa sheegaysaasheegaysaa sheegtaysheegtay

1pl1pl sheegnaasheegnaa sheegaynaasheegaynaa sheegnaysheegnay

2pl2pl sheegtaansheegtaan sheegaynaansheegaynaan sheegteensheegteen

3pl3pl sheegaansheegaan sheegayaansheegayaan sheegeensheegeen

�� HoweverHowever, , incorporatingincorporating propertiesproperties can can alsoalso bebe foundfound::

a) In the a) In the soso--calledcalled VerbalVerbal ComplexComplex (VC)(VC)[[Imp.SclImp.Scl lala –– 1 1 OclOcl –– PrepsPreps ((maxmax 2) 2) –– OclOcl ((possposs) ) –– soosoo/sii /sii –– V]V]

(2) (2) AxmedAxmed baabaa guriguri--giigii [[nooganooga ((ØØ--nana--uu--ØØ--kaka) ) qaadayqaaday]]AxmedAxmed FM FM homehome--AAnn..DetDet OOcl.3cl.3--OOcl.1plcl.1pl--forfor--OOcl.3cl.3--fromfrom take.PSTtake.PST‘‘AxmedAxmed tooktook itit fromfrom home home forfor usus’’((litlit.: .: AhmedAhmed (Focus), home ((Focus), home (givengiven), ), itit forfor usus fromfrom itit tooktook))

(3)(3) CaliCali baabaa [[iguigu ((ii++kuku)) kaakaa aamintayaamintay]]Cali FMCali FM OclOcl.1sg.1sg-- toto OclOcl.2sg (.2sg (litlit.: .: youryour) ) entrust.PSTentrust.PST‘‘Cali Cali entrustedentrusted me me toto youyou’’

(4)(4) WiilWiil--kaakaa--gangan--uu waawaa fiicanfiicanboyboy--possposs.2sg.2sg--DemDem--NOM NOM DECL.MDECL.M nicenice‘‘ThatThat boy of boy of yoursyours isis nicenice’’

Cf. Cf. polisynteticpolisyntetic languageslanguages ((JelinekJelinek 1984, 1984, MithumMithum 1987, Baker 1996)1987, Baker 1996)

(5)(5) ĘĘ--ss--kakhekakhe--honahona’’ttáá--yyęęthwthw--ahsahs (Cayuga, from Evans & (Cayuga, from Evans & SasseSasse 2002) 2002) FUTFUT--ITERITER--SclScl.1sg/.1sg/OclOcl.3pl.3pl--potatopotato--plantplant--PERFPERF‘‘I I willwill plantplant potatoespotatoes againagain forfor themthem’’

b) In the b) In the NounNoun PhrasePhrase (DP)(DP)

……notnot onlyonly: : agglutinativeagglutinative propertiesproperties can can alsoalso bebe foundfound in the in the VPVP�� VariationVariation in the in the argumentargument structurestructure realizedrealized byby meansmeans of of affixesaffixes in the in the verbalverbal rootroot..

Ex:Ex: buuxbuux ((‘‘toto bebe fullfull’’) = ) = intransitiveintransitive--stativestative oneone--argumentargument V V

(6)(6) KoobKoob--kuku waawaa buuxaybuuxayglassglass--Det.NOMDet.NOM DECL DECL bebe full.PSTfull.PST.3sgm.3sgm‘‘The The glassglass waswas fullfull’’

++causativecausative infixinfix --i(s)i(s)-- �������� buuxisbuuxis== transitivetransitive--dynamicdynamic twotwo--argumentargument VV

(7)(7) CalCalíí koobkoob--ka ka waawaa buuxbuux--ii--yayyayAliAli.NOM.NOM glassglass--DetDet DECL DECL bebe fullfull--causcaus--PSTPST.3sgm.3sgm‘‘Ali Ali hadhad the the glassglass fullfull’’

buuxisbuuxis + + --amam-- �� unaccusativeunaccusative oneone--argumentargument VV

(8)(8) KoobKoob--kuku waawaa buuxsamaybuuxsamay ((buuxbuux--isis--amam--ayay))glassglass--DET.NOMDET.NOM DECLDECL bebe fullfull--causcaus--statstat--PSTPST.3sgm.3sgm‘‘The The glassglass waswas filledfilled in (in (*by*by me)me)’’

��������Somali: Somali: morphologicallymorphologically a a mixedmixed languagelanguage((cfcf. . SvolacchiaSvolacchia & & PuglielliPuglielli 1999)1999)

2. 2. SyntacticSyntactic classificationclassificationAccording to word order languages of the world can be classifiedAccording to word order languages of the world can be classified

w.r.tw.r.t the position of the the position of the SSubject, the ubject, the OObject and the bject and the VVerb:erb:

-- SVO (42%, e.g., French, English, Finnish, Indonesia, Zulu)SVO (42%, e.g., French, English, Finnish, Indonesia, Zulu)-- SOV (47,5%, e.g. Turkish, Japanese, Quechua, Basque)SOV (47,5%, e.g. Turkish, Japanese, Quechua, Basque)-- VSO (8%, e.g. Standard Arabic, Welsh, VSO (8%, e.g. Standard Arabic, Welsh, NiueanNiuean))-- VOS (2,1%, e.g. Malagasy, VOS (2,1%, e.g. Malagasy, TzotzilTzotzil))

-- OVS (0.9%, e.g. OVS (0.9%, e.g. HixkaryanaHixkaryana ((CaribCarib), ), MangarrayiMangarrayi))

-- OSV (0.3%, 4 languages OSV (0.3%, 4 languages -- uncertain)uncertain)[WALS edition 2011][WALS edition 2011]

((99)) a.a. ShalayShalay jamacaddajamacadda CaliCali bbaanaan kuku arkayarkayyesterdayyesterday universityuniversity--detdet CaliCali FMFM.scl1sg.scl1sg toto see.pst.1sgsee.pst.1sg

b.b. ShalayShalay CaliCali bbaanaan kuku arkayarkay, , jamacaddajamacaddac.c. CaliCali bbaanaan kuku arkayarkay jamacaddajamacadda sshalayhalay

‘‘Yesterday I saw CALI at the universityYesterday I saw CALI at the university’’

In Somali In Somali DPsDPs can can bebe apparentlyapparently arrangedarranged in in anyany orderorder

�� IsIs Somali a Somali a nonnon--configurationalconfigurational languagelanguage??

The The answeranswer isis negative:negative:

(9(9)) a. a. ShalayShalay (TOP) (TOP) jamacaddajamacadda (TOP)(TOP) CCALIALI (FOC)(FOC) baanbaan kuku arkayarkayyesterday universityyesterday university--detdet CaliCali FMFM.scl1sg to.scl1sg to see.pst.1sgsee.pst.1sg‘‘Yesterday I saw CALI at the universityYesterday I saw CALI at the university’’

b. b. ShalayShalay (TOP)(TOP) CALICALI (FOC)(FOC) bbaanaan kuku arkayarkay, , jamacaddajamacadda (TOP)(TOP)c. c. CALI CALI (FOC)(FOC) baanbaan kuku arkayarkay jamacaddajamacadda (TOP)(TOP) sshalayhalay (TOP)(TOP)d. d. **CALI CALI (FOC)(FOC) jamacaddajamacadda (TOP)(TOP) bbaaaann kuku arkayarkay sshalayhalay (TOP)(TOP)

�������� Somali Somali isis a a ““DiscourseDiscourse--configurationalconfigurational”” languagelanguage ((KissKiss 1995)1995)

Full Full DPsDPs are are arrangedarranged on on eithereither side of the VC and side of the VC and theirtheir orderorderstructurallystructurally dependsdepends on on theirtheir discoursediscourse functionfunction asas Focus or Topic Focus or Topic

((SvolacchiaSvolacchia, , MereuMereu, , PuglielliPuglielli 1995)1995)

•• The VC can The VC can bebe consideredconsidered a a ““microstructuremicrostructure”” of the of the wholewholesentencesentence ((PuglielliPuglielli 1981).1981).

•• ItIt offersoffers a a templatetemplate forfor the the verbverb and and itsits argumentsarguments (in the (in the formform of of cliticsclitics) ) �� Somali Somali asas a SOV a SOV languagelanguage

VerbalVerbal ComplexComplex (VC)(VC)[[Imp.SclImp.Scl lala –– 1 1 OclOcl –– PrepsPreps ((maxmax 2) 2) –– OclOcl ((possposs) ) –– soosoo/sii /sii –– V]V]

�� NicholsNichols (1986): (1986): headhead markingmarking (10)(10)

(10)(10) xx--øø--keekee--tijtij tzyaqtzyaq chch’’ooyaaooyaa? ? ((TzutujilTzutujil))aspasp--SclScl.3sg.3sg--Ocl.3plOcl.3pl--eat eat clothesclothes mouse mouse ‘‘The mouse The mouse hashas eateneaten the the clothesclothes’’

(11)(11)‘‘asbahaasbaha ’’akakūūhh--uu mumaththilmumaththil--an an (Arabic)(Arabic)becomebecome..perfperf.3sgm .3sgm brotherbrother--clcl.3sgm..3sgm.NOMNOM actor.actor.ACCACC--indefindef‘‘HisHis brotherbrother becamebecame anan actoractor’’

�� Somali =Somali = DependenceDependence Case Case MarkingMarking languagelanguage::(12)(12) WiilWiil--kaakaa--gangan--uu waawaa fiicanfiican

boyboy--poss2sgposs2sg--DimDim--NOMNOM DECL.MDECL.M nicenice‘‘ThatThat boy of boy of yoursyours isis nicenice’’

3. 3. MorphologicalMorphological markingmarking

vs.vs. dependencedependence markingmarking (11) (11) languageslanguages

In In DependenceDependence markingmarking languageslanguages……�� ……thethe relevantrelevant markingmarking isis realizedrealized on the on the NPNP--headhead

and/or onand/or on itsits modifiersmodifiers..�� ……bothboth coinjoinedcoinjoined phrasesphrases can can bebe markedmarked in in

coordinatedcoordinated structuresstructures ::

(12)(12) [[alal--lughalugha alal--arabiyyaarabiyya] ] sasa’’abahabah((ArabicArabic))DetDet--languagelanguage..NOM NOM DetDet--Arabic.Arabic.NOMNOM

difficultdifficult‘‘ArabicArabic languagelanguage isis difficultdifficult..’’

(13)(13) AhmetAhmet [[uskumruuskumru--yu te istakozyu te istakoz--uu] ] pipişşirir--di di ((TurkishTurkish))

AhmetAhmet prawnprawn--ACCACC and and lobsterlobster--ACCACC cookcook--

�� WhatWhat aboutabout Somali?Somali?

In Somali In Somali conjoinedconjoined structuresstructures onlyonly the the righmostrighmost phrasephrase isis markedmarked, , thatthatisis toto saysay, the , the mostmost embeddedembedded syntacticsyntactic constituentconstituent in a Coordinative in a Coordinative phrasephrase ((CoordPCoordP):):

(14) [(14) [qalinqalin--kaka/*/*kuku iiyoyo buggagbuggag--gugu] ] miismiis--ka way ka way saran saran yihiinyihiinpencilpencil--DetDet and and book.plbook.pl--Det.Det.NOMNOM tabletable--DetDet DECL.Scl3pl DECL.Scl3pl stay.PRSstay.PRS.3pl.3pl‘‘The The pencilpencil and the and the booksbooks are on the are on the tabletable..’’

�� In a In a formalformal frameworkframework thisthis propertypropertya) a) allowsallows forfor a a clearclear identificationidentification of the of the rightright boundaryboundary of a NP andof a NP andb) b) showsshows the the validityvalidity of a of a structuralstructural analysisanalysis in in whichwhich the the secondsecondconjunctconjunct isis more more embeddedembedded thanthan the first.the first.

CoordPCoordP

NP1 NP1 CoordCoord’’

iyoiyo NP2NP2

4. Relative 4. Relative clausesclausesRelative clauses in Somali areRelative clauses in Somali area) neither introduced by a) neither introduced by ComplementizersComplementizers (as in Italian, cf. (15a)),(as in Italian, cf. (15a)),b) nor by b) nor by relative pronounsrelative pronouns (as in Russian, cf. (15b)), and(as in Russian, cf. (15b)), andc) the NP heading the clause is c) the NP heading the clause is notnot resumed by a pronounresumed by a pronoun within the sentence (as within the sentence (as

is the case in Persian, cf. (15c)).is the case in Persian, cf. (15c)).

(15) a.(15) a. IlIl ragazzoragazzo cheche haihai incontratoincontrato èè miomio fratellofratelloDetDet boyboy that that have.2sghave.2sg metmet isis my brothermy brother‘‘The boy (that) you met is my brotherThe boy (that) you met is my brother’’

b.b. DevuDevušškaka [[kotorkotor--ujuuju videlavidela] ] majamaja sestrasestragirl.nomgirl.nom relpronrelpron--3sgf3sgf.acc .acc see.pst.sgfsee.pst.sgf poss.1sg.fposs.1sg.f sistersister‘‘The girl (that) she saw is my sisterThe girl (that) she saw is my sister’’

c.c. ManMan zanzan--ii--rara [[keke HasanHasan bebe uu]]pro.s.1sg womanpro.s.1sg woman--detdet--ACC thatACC that HasanHasan toto pro.Obj.3sgpro.Obj.3sgjijejije--rara daddad]] mimiššenasadenasadchickenchicken--acc acc give.pst.3sggive.pst.3sg know.pres.3sgknow.pres.3sg‘‘I know the woman to whom I know the woman to whom HasanHasan gave a chickengave a chicken’’ [from [from ComrieComrie 1981]1981]

RCsRCs in Somali are in Somali are characterizedcharacterized byby

Antiagreement Antiagreement effectseffectswhenwhen the the NPNP--headhead hashas a a subjectsubject rolerole in the RC in the RC ��

‘‘reducedreduced’’ AGR (AGR (independentindependent of of itsits rolerole in the in the mainmain clauseclause))

(17) (17) WiilWiil--kuku [[MaryanMaryan la la hadlayhadlayáá / / *hadlayaa*hadlayaa ]] waawaa walaalwalaal--kaykayNOMNOM talk.pres.prog.REDtalk.pres.prog.RED / / talk.pres.prog.3sgm talk.pres.prog.3sgm

(18) (18) WiilWiil--kaka [[afaf talyaanitalyaani--gaga hadlayhadlayáá //*hadlayaa*hadlayaa ] ] baanbaan jeclahayjeclahayboyboy--Det.Det.nonNOMnonNOM talk.pres.prog.talk.pres.prog.REDRED //talk.pres.progtalk.pres.prog..3sgm 3sgm ‘‘I love the boy I love the boy thatthat isis talkingtalking ItalianItalian’’

�������� Somali Somali belongsbelongs toto the the soso--calledcalled Head Head deletiondeletion typetype

(1(166)) WiilWiil--kuku [[MaryanMaryan lala hadlayhadlayáá ]] waawaa walaalwalaal--kaykayboyboy--det.mdet.m..NOM NOM MaryanMaryan withwith talk.pres.prog.talk.pres.prog.redred DECLDECL brotherbrother--poss.1sgposs.1sg‘‘The boy speaking with The boy speaking with MaryanMaryan is my brotheris my brother’’

Subordinate Subordinate clausesclauses in Somali in Somali presentpresent the the morphomorpho--syntacticsyntactic propertiespropertiesof relative of relative clausesclauses (Frascarelli & (Frascarelli & PuglielliPuglielli 2005) and, 2005) and, asas suchsuch, , theythey show show

Antiagreement Antiagreement effectseffectswhenwhen the the NPNP--headhead hashas a a subjectsubject rolerole withinwithin the subordinate the subordinate clauseclause::

(19) (19) gabargabar--tiitii oooo [[marmar--kaaskaas guriguri--gaga gashgashayay]] baanbaan arkayarkaygirlgirl--An.DetAn.Det ASS ASS timetime--DemDem homehome--DetDet go go in.PST.in.PST.REDRED FM.SclFM.Scl.1sg .1sg see.PSTsee.PST.1sg.1sg‘‘I I sawsaw the (the (relevantrelevant) girl, ) girl, after after herher enteringentering the the househouse’’((litlit.: .: ‘‘the girl, the girl, the time the time sheshe wentwent in the house, I in the house, I sawsaw herher’’))

EmbeddedEmbedded clausesclauses in Somali show the in Somali show the formalformal propertiespropertiesof of nominalnominal subordinationsubordination

Working Working hypothesishypothesis::ComplementComplement clausesclauses originate originate fromfrom NP NP subordinationsubordination

crosscross--linguisticallylinguistically

5. Subordinate 5. Subordinate clausesclauses

Subordinate Subordinate clausesclauses are are realizedrealized asas nominalizednominalized structuresstructures in a in a numbernumberof of typologicallytypologically differentdifferent languageslanguages ((cfcf. . PuglielliPuglielli & Frascarelli 2011), & Frascarelli 2011), e.ge.g.:.:

TurkishTurkish ((KornfiltKornfilt 1997)1997)(20) (20) MMüüddüürr [[tatiltatil--ee ççikik--titiğğ--ii zamanzaman] ] ofisofis kapakapa--nn--irir

boss boss holidayholiday--DATDAT gogo--NOMINNOMIN--3sg.poss 3sg.poss time time office office closeclose--REFLREFL--HABHAB‘‘When the boss the boss isis on on holidayholiday, the office , the office isis closedclosed’’(lit.: the boss, (lit.: the boss, the time the time of his going of his going on holiday, the office is closedon holiday, the office is closed’’))

MaoriMaori ((BauerBauer 1993)1993)(21) (21) a.a. [[kiakia taetae maimai koekoe]] kaka kaikai taatoutaatou

timetime comingcoming herehere youyou T/ASPT/ASP eateat we.inclwe.incl‘‘When youyou arrivearrive herehere, , wewe willwill eateat’’((lit.lit. the time the time of of youryour arrivingarriving herehere, , wewe eateat))

b.b. I I hokihoki maatoumaatou kiki te te kaaingakaainga [[i te meai te mea ee uaua anaana]]T/ASP return T/ASP return we.esclwe.escl toto DetDet home home fromfrom DetDet thingthing T/ASP T/ASP rainrain pstpst‘‘WeWe wentwent back home back home becausebecause itit waswas rainingraining’’((litlit.: [.: [……] ] fromfrom the the thingthing thatthat rainedrained))

SubordinationSubordination and and nominalizationnominalization

FinnishFinnish (Di Santo 2015)(Di Santo 2015)(22) (22) Maria Maria nnääkk--ii [[PekaPeka--nn sovittasovitta--vava--nn takkitakki--aa]]

Maria Maria seesee--PSTPST.3sg .3sg PekkaPekka--gengen trytry onon--PRT.PRS.ACCPRT.PRS.ACC jacketjacket--PARTITIVEPARTITIVE‘‘Maria Maria sawsaw thatthat PekkaPekka triedtried on the on the jacketjacket’’(lit.: Maria saw (lit.: Maria saw PekkaPekka’’ss tryingtrying jacketjacket’’))

AfarAfar ((PuglielliPuglielli & Frascarelli 2011)& Frascarelli 2011)(23)(23) [[GedGed‘‘dede--mm]] obob’’be.be.

go.2sggo.2sg--NOMINNOMIN.ACC.ACC hear.PST.1sghear.PST.1sg‘‘I heard you left.I heard you left.’’

TagalogTagalog (Frascarelli 2010)(Frascarelli 2010)(24) [(24) [bagobago natulognatulog] ] angang mgamga batabata uminomuminom ngng gatasgatas

previousprevious ACT.ACT.sleepsleep trigger PL trigger PL childchild ACT.drink.pstACT.drink.pst DIR milkDIR milk‘‘BeforeBefore sleepingsleeping, the , the childrenchildren drankdrank some milk.some milk.’’

……basedbased on on crosscross--linguisticlinguistic evidenceevidence, , itit can can bebe suggestedsuggested thatthat ::

�� WhWh--phrasesphrases introducingintroducing subordinate subordinate clausesclausesoriginate originate fromfrom a a genericgeneric NP (NP (asas ‘‘timetime’’, , ‘‘placeplace’’, , etcetc.) .) headingheading a RC:a RC:

(25) (25) a.a. [[whenwhen youyou arrivearrive], ], wewe willwill bebe happy happy b.b. [[NP NP the momentthe moment [[CPCP thatthat [[IPIP youyou arrivearrive ]]], ]]], wewe willwill bebe happyhappy

(26) (26) a.a. [[fromfrom howhow hehe greetedgreeted me], I me], I understoodunderstood therethere waswas a a problemproblem

b.b. [[NPNP the waythe way [[CPCP [[IPIP hehe greetedgreeted me ]]], I me ]]], I understoodunderstood……

(27) (27) a.a. I I rememberremember [[thatthat youyou behavedbehaved badlybadly at the party] at the party] b.b. I I rememberremember [[NP NP the the factfact [[CP CP thatthat [[IPIP youyou behavedbehaved badlybadly…….]]].]]]

�� Somali Somali isis a a Focus Focus prominentprominent languagelanguage::one one constituentconstituent (DP) (DP) mustmust bebe markedmarked asas the Focus of the Focus of the the sentencesentence..

�� SpecificallySpecifically, the Focus , the Focus isis identifiedidentified byby meansmeans of:of:(a)(a) syntacticsyntactic position position ((necessarilynecessarily beforebefore the VC), andthe VC), and(b)(b) Focus marker Focus marker ((baabaa) ) immediatelyimmediately followingfollowing the Focus.the Focus.

(28) Q: Who did you see yesterday?(28) Q: Who did you see yesterday?A: A: ShalayShalay jamacaddajamacadda CALI CALI baanbaan kuku arkayarkay

yesterdayyesterday universityuniversity--DetDet Cali FM.Scl1sg Cali FM.Scl1sg toto see.PSTsee.PST.1sg.1sg‘‘YesterdayYesterday I I sawsaw CALI at the CALI at the universityuniversity’’

6. The 6. The syntaxsyntax--discoursediscourseinterface: Focusinterface: Focus

A A crucialcrucial connection connection betweenbetween Focus and Focus and RCsRCsThe The sentencesentence followingfollowing the Focus the Focus showsshows the the morphosyntacticmorphosyntactic propertiesproperties of a relative of a relative clauseclause::

(a) (a) Antiagreement Antiagreement effectseffects whenwhen the Focus the Focus isis interpretedinterpretedasas the the subjectsubject of the of the followingfollowing sentencesentence;;

(b) (b) NonNon--nominativenominative Case Case markingmarking of the Focus, of the Focus, independentindependentof of itsits rolerole..

(29) (29) NIMANKAAS /NIMANKAAS /**UU baabaa //**buubuu hilibkahilibka cunaycunayáá..menmen--DemDem //..NOMNOM FMFM FMFM..3sgm3sgm meat.Detmeat.Det eat.prog.eat.prog.REDRED‘‘THESE MEN are THESE MEN are eatingeating meatmeat..’’

�������� RCsRCs are are partpart of Focus of Focus constructionsconstructions(Frascarelli & (Frascarelli & PuglielliPuglielli 2005, 2007).2005, 2007).

�� The The connection connection betweenbetween Focus andFocus and Relative Relative clausesclauses in a in a copular copular constructionconstruction isis a a wellwell--attestedattested crosscross--linguisticlinguisticphenomenonphenomenon (Frascarelli 2010).(Frascarelli 2010).

(TIGRINYA, (TIGRINYA, AppleyardAppleyard 1989)1989)(30) (30) nnKKssussu (FOC)(FOC) ‘‘KKyyuyyu wagawaga ‘‘abab kkäättäämama zzääxxKKbbbbKKrr

pronpron.3sgm.3sgm copcop.3sgm .3sgm price in town price in town raiseraise..RELREL‘‘ItIt’’s HIM s HIM whowho raisesraises the the pricesprices in the in the citycity’’

(WOLOF, (WOLOF, KihmKihm 1999)1999)(31) (31) FasFas wiwi (FOC)(FOC) lala jaaykatjaaykat bibi jjëëndnd

horsehorse DetDet copcop.3sg.3sg merchantmerchant DetDet but.pst.but.pst.RELREL‘‘The The merchantmerchant hashas boughtbought A A HORSEHORSE’’

(BYALI, (BYALI, ReinekeReineke 2004)2004)(32) (32) BBíííí--gg (FOC)(FOC) èè ùù n n yiyi yambyambKK kkKK

childchild--OclOcl copcop SUBJ.pronSUBJ.pron.3sgf.3sgf REL REL pstpst see.perfsee.perf OclOcl‘‘She had seen THShe had seen THE E CHILDCHILD’’

(BERBER, (BERBER, OuhallaOuhalla 1999)1999)((3333) ) TamghartTamghart--a a (FOC)(FOC) ayay yzrinyzrin MohandMohand

womanwoman--demdem pron.indefpron.indef seesee--PRTPRT MohandMohand‘‘MohandMohand sawsaw THIS WOMANTHIS WOMAN’’

Besides Besides ““in situin situ”” and and ““ex situex situ”” focalizationfocalization……

Languages like Somali provide evidence for the existenceLanguages like Somali provide evidence for the existenceof an alternative Focus strategy: of an alternative Focus strategy: the cleftthe cleft--like strategylike strategy

ThisThis Focus Focus strategystrategy impliesimplies the the presencepresence of a of a SmallSmall ClauseClause (SC), in (SC), in whichwhich::-- the Focus the Focus isis insertedinserted asas a a predicate predicate -- the the PresuppositionPresupposition isis a (a (freefree) relative ) relative clauseclause, , insertedinserted asas the the

subjectsubject-- the FM (the FM (whenwhen realizedrealized) ) isis anan originaloriginal copular copular formform: :

FocP

baaSC

DP(RelC)

DP[foc]

Cali

∃ x, x aan ku arkay

The Focus DP The Focus DP isis NOT NOT anan argumentargument ((forfor detailsdetails, , cfcf. Frascarelli 2010). Frascarelli 2010)

�� ThisThis proposalproposal waswas discusseddiscussed in in severalseveral worksworks, , fromfrom differentdifferentapproachesapproaches and and perspectivesperspectives ((cfcf. . HigginsHiggins 1973, 1973, SzabolcsiSzabolcsi 1981, 1981, HeineHeine and and RehReh 1984, 1984, KissKiss 1999, 1999, HuberHuber 2000).2000).

�� Chomsky (1971: 72): Chomsky (1971: 72): ““the focused constituent is the predicate of the focused constituent is the predicate of a a dominant sentencedominant sentence””..

EmpiricalEmpirical advantagesadvantages::ThisThis explanationexplanation can account can account forfor the the phenomenaphenomena illustratedillustrated

beforebefore ((Antiagreement, Antiagreement, nonnon--NOMNOM Case, Case, etcetc.), .), whichwhichcharacterizecharacterize Focus Focus asas a a nominalnominal predicatepredicate..

TheoreticalTheoretical importanceimportance::

The interface The interface perspectiveperspectiveGrammaticalizationGrammaticalization of of anan originaloriginal copular copular constructionconstruction forfor

discoursediscourse grammargrammar requirementsrequirements..

��Focus Focus in Somali in Somali isis markedmarked byby a a pitchpitch ((H*H*),), consistentconsistent withwithcrosscross--linguisticallinguistical studiesstudies..

�� The FM The FM isis accentaccent--lessless, , asas isis expectedexpected forfor anan ((originaloriginal) ) functionalfunctional elementelement likelike a copula.a copula.

(34)(34) DhinacaDhinaca waxaanwaxaan ((waxwax--baabaa--aanaan)) jeedaajeedaa BAKEERIGABAKEERIGAside FM.Scl1sg thingside FM.Scl1sg thing--FMFM--Scl1sgScl1sg see.pressee.pres.1sg .1sg glass.Detglass.Det

MARYANMARYANuuuu (M(M.+buu.+buu) ) horyallahoryallaMaryan.FM.scl3sgm Maryan.FM.scl3sgm bebe--inin--frontfront--of.presof.pres.3sgm.3sgm‘‘On a side, On a side, whatwhat I I seesee isis a GLASS (and) a GLASS (and) itit isis in front of in front of MARYANMARYAN’’

. .

7. IS and 7. IS and prosodicprosodic analysisanalysis: Focus: Focus

8. IS and 8. IS and prosodicprosodic analysisanalysis: Topic: Topic

�� DifferentDifferent typestypes of of TopicsTopics havehave beenbeen distinguisheddistinguished and and analysedanalysed in in the the literatureliterature, , forfor typologicallytypologically differentdifferent languageslanguages..

�� SpecificallySpecifically, a , a systematicsystematic connection connection hashas beenbeen provedproved betweenbetweendiscoursediscourse functionsfunctions, , syntacticsyntactic position and position and prosodicprosodic propertiesproperties of of differentdifferent typestypes of of TopicsTopics ((cfcf. Frascarelli & . Frascarelli & HinterhHinterhölzllzl 2007). 2007).

�� Interface Interface analysisanalysis of of spokenspoken corporacorpora attestedattested thisthis distinctiondistinction in in Somali Somali asas wellwell ((cfcf. Frascarelli & . Frascarelli & PuglielliPuglielli 2009).2009).

. .

AboutnessAboutness--shiftshift Topic (ATopic (A--Topic)Topic)

�� The AThe A--Topic connects ReinhartTopic connects Reinhart’’s (1981) s (1981) aboutnessaboutness ((““what the what the sentence is aboutsentence is about””) with the property of being ) with the property of being newly newly ((re)introducedre)introduced and changed to and changed to (=(=shiftshift) ) in the discourse.in the discourse.

�� The AThe A--Topic as an Topic as an entityentity (Reinhart 1981): it is the entry (Reinhart 1981): it is the entry identifying the identifying the ““file cardfile card”” under which the proposition expressed under which the proposition expressed in the sentence should be storedin the sentence should be stored

�� The AThe A--Topic is realized in the highest Topic position in the left Topic is realized in the highest Topic position in the left periphery (periphery (RizziRizzi 1997) and is associated with the complex 1997) and is associated with the complex L*+HL*+Htonetone (Frascarelli & Hinterhölzl 2007)

�� ThisThis connection connection hashas beenbeen attestedattested forfor a a numbernumber of of typologicallytypologicallydifferentdifferent languageslanguages: : ItalianItalian, , GermanGerman, , TagalogTagalog, , SpanishSpanish, , EnglishEnglish……

��……andand in Somali in Somali asas wellwell::

. .

AA--TopicTopic(35) Waxay i-la tahay Calik (L*+H) in-uuk

FM.3sgf me-impers seem.3sgf Cali.NOM that-3sgmcajiin qasayaa la moodaapasta make.3sgm.DEP impers seem.pres.3sgm‘It seems to me that Cali, he is making pasta, I think’

FamiliarFamiliar//GivenGiven Topic (GTopic (G--Topic)Topic)

�� The GThe G--Topic refers to Topic refers to givengiven information in the discourse: it is a information in the discourse: it is a DD--linked constituent, either in a strong (Heim 1981) or in a weak linked constituent, either in a strong (Heim 1981) or in a weak sense (Roberts 2003).sense (Roberts 2003).

�� GG--Topics Topics are are used:used:(i)(i) for for continuitycontinuity w.r.tw.r.t. the current A. the current A--Topic, orTopic, or(ii)(ii) to provide to provide backgroundbackground information.information.

�� The GThe G--Topic can be realized either in the left or in the right Topic can be realized either in the left or in the right periphery of the sentence (periphery of the sentence (RizziRizzi 1997) and is associated with the 1997) and is associated with the L*L* tonetone (Frascarelli & Hinterhölzl 2007)..

�� AlsoAlso thisthis kindkind of Topic of Topic isis partpart of the Somali systemof the Somali system::. .

GG--TopicTopic(36) Maryan Cali u baaqi mayso

Maryan Cali to give a sign neg.pres.3sgfCali [+given] cuntuu cunayaaCali.NOM food.det.fm.3sgm eat.pres.red‘Maryan is not giving a sign to Cali, Cali is eating his food’

�� RightRight--handhand TopicsTopics can can onlyonly bebe GG--TopicsTopics crosscross--linguisticallylinguistically ((shiftshift//contrastcontrast notnot allowedallowed in final position).in final position).�������� Somali Somali isis consistentconsistent withwith thisthis generalizationgeneralization::

(37) CaliMaryan way u-Ø ektahay, waaCali Maryan DECL.3sgf to-ocl.3sg be similar.pres.3sgf DECL.M

hooyadiis waayo […] wejigoodaa is-ku egmother.poss.3sg because […] face.poss.3pl.FM refl-to be similar.REDwaa inankeed-ii marka aad iyo (aad) bay is-kuDECL.M son.poss.3sg-an so much and much FM.3sgf refl-toweji ekyihiin, Cali iyo hooyadiisface be similar.PRS.3pl Cali and mother.poss.3sg‘As for Cali, he looks like Maryan, she is his mother because their faces are very similar, he is her son, so their look like each other a lot, Cali and his mother’

Thanks!!

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