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I'm investigating a preposed particle <span style="font-style: italic;">isaa</span>
in Mussau-Emira that appears to have some sort of focus and emphasis as
its main functions, but I'm finding it hard to get much in the
literature to help me (not having access to a library is part of the
problem). Aya Inoue, From Exclusive Particle to Adversative Conjunction:
A Study on the Particle <span style="font-style: italic;">tasol</span>
in Tok Pisin, refers to Sankoff 1999:<br>
<br>
"Sankoff (1999:11) notes many Oceanic languages apparently emphasize or
focus through the use of postposed affixes or particles."<br>
<br>
The reference is Sankoff, Gillian. 1999. The evolution of focus
particles and related morphemes in Tok Pisin, Solomons Island
Pidgin and Bislama. Workshop on Culture and Communicative
Practice Special session: Continuity and Innovation in Pidgin and Creole
Languages. Northwestern University. I have been unable to find the
article, and scanning Lynch, Crowley & Ross 2002 has not provided a
great deal of data.<br>
<br>
What I found was a suffix <span style="font-style: italic;">-re</span>
in Tobati, an enclitic <span style="font-style: italic;">=ya</span> in
Sudest (which precedes the focused item), a postposed particle <span
style="font-style: italic;">si</span> in Roviana, a proclitic <span
style="font-style: italic;">si-</span> in Kokota, and three postposed
particles in Longgu (<span style="font-style: italic;">na('a)</span>, <span
style="font-style: italic;">ga('a)</span> and <span style="font-style:
italic;">'ua</span>).<br>
<br>
Is there a broader treatment of focus and/or emphasis particles in
Oceanic languages? I would like to know where Sankoff got the
information behind the quoted statement.<br>
<br>
Thanks for any pointers.<br>
<br>
John<br>
<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>John Brownie<br>
Mussau-Emira language, New Ireland Province, Papua New Guinea<br>
Turku, Finland<br>
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