7.1374, Qs: Ethno list, Slavic and hist ling, PP focalizing

[The Linguist List]

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LINGUIST List:  Vol-7-1374. Sat Oct 5 1996. ISSN: 1068-4875. Lines:  106
 
Subject: 7.1374, Qs: Ethno list, Slavic and hist ling, PP focalizing
 
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---------------------------------Directory-----------------------------------
1)
Date:  Wed, 02 Oct 1996 12:46:30 GMT
From:  john.wheatley at luton.ac.uk ("John Wheatley")
Subject:  Ethno list
 
2)
Date:  Wed, 02 Oct 1996 03:50:38 +0200
From:  obaumann at stud.uni-frankfurt.de
Subject:  Slavic and hist ling
 
3)
Date:  Wed, 02 Oct 1996 19:24:31 -0000
From:  cpeust at gwdg.de
Subject:  Qs: PP focalizing
 
---------------------------------Messages------------------------------------
1)
Date:  Wed, 02 Oct 1996 12:46:30 GMT
From:  john.wheatley at luton.ac.uk ("John Wheatley")
Subject:  Ethno list
 
Advice on signing up to the ethno list and org comm lists sought.
Thanks in advance.
 
JSW
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2)
Date:  Wed, 02 Oct 1996 03:50:38 +0200
From:  obaumann at stud.uni-frankfurt.de
Subject:  Slavic and hist ling
 
Dear Subscribers!
 
I'm working on language change in slavic languages.
Therefore I want to know the addresses of other
linguistic servers which are dealing with these topics,
especially "historical or diachronic linguistics" and
"slavic linguistics".
 
Thanks in advance
Oliver
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3)
Date:  Wed, 02 Oct 1996 19:24:31 -0000
From:  cpeust at gwdg.de
Subject:  Qs: PP focalizing
 
Dear Linguists,
 
(Middle) Egyptian is a VSO-language which has a special way of
focalizing prepositional phrases: Transforming the verbal predicate
into a specific form which can be called nominal.
jnj-j-st n-k     (not focalized)
bring-I-it to-you = "I bring it to you"
 
jnn-j-st n-k     (focalized)
bring(NOM)-I-it to-you = *"That I bring it, (is) to you"
                                  =  "It is to you that I bring it"
 
Note that word order remains unchanged.
This strategy is, however, restricted to focalizing adverb-like
structures (including subordinate clauses). It is impossible to
use it for focalizing objects, subjects etc. To do this, the focussed
element has to undergo a leftward movement:
jn jw3 jnn-j n-k
(PART.) cow bring(NOM)-I to-you "It is a cow which I bring you"
 
I am looking for typological parallels of languages which have a
specific morphological or syntactical means for focalizing a PP.
Any help will be greatly appreciated. I will put a summary on the
list.
 
 
 
Carsten Peust
Seminar of Egyptology and Coptology
Goettingen
cpeust at gwdg.de
 
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LINGUIST List: Vol-7-1374.