| dc.description.abstract | This thesis aims at investigating the lexical marking of information structure in Dangme. The Dangme particles nɛ, po, hu, nitsɛ, pɛ and lɛɛ were analysed through the use of minimal pair of sentences with one containing the particle under investigation. The study brings to bear how the afore-mentioned particles are used in marking information structure, their syntactic occurrences and restrictions, and the pragmatic contributions of the particles in the utterances in which they occur.
The following research questions served as a guide to the study:
When are the particles nɛ, po, hu, nitsɛ, pɛ and lɛɛ used in Dangme discourse? This includes the following three sub-questions:
Are the particles nɛ, po, hu, nitsɛ, pɛ and lɛɛmarkers of information structure, and if so, are they markers of topic or focus?What are the pragmatic interpretations that may occur for these particles?In what syntactic positions can each of these particles occur?
The data used in the investigation were created examples and native speaker intuitions in terms of researcher‟ introspection. The analyses of the data revealed that all the particles above are focus markers except lɛɛ which is a contrast marker compatible with both focus and topic. | nb_NO |
