Fwd: Re: ergatives and topics

[Frans Plank]

>Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:14:29 +0200
>To: Claire Bowern <clairebowern at GMAIL.COM>
>From: Frans Plank <Frans.Plank at uni-konstanz.de>
>Subject: Re: ergatives and topics
>Cc:
>Bcc:
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>>Hello everyone,
>>I'm collecting examples of ergative case markers being reanalysed 
>>as topic or focus markers. I know of the Jingulu case as described 
>>by Rob Pensalfini, but other examples would be useful.
>>Thanks,
>>Claire Bowern
>
>Dear Claire,
>
>I remember from my introduction to the Ergativity volume of 1979 
>that ergative markers in turn have sometimes been claimed to derive 
>from emphatic particles, i.e. presumably focus markers.  Footnote 44 
>there refers to such oldies as Trombetti and Tagliavini.
>
>Let me know what you find out.
>
>cheers
>Frans