Guest lecture: "Focus particles in Dagbani and Likpakpaanl"

19.01.2022 15:30

by Katharina Hartmann, Anke Himmelreich, Johannes Mursell (Goethe University Frankfurt am Main)

Wednesday, 19 January 2022, 3.30 pm

Seminar room 1, Department of African Studies, UniCampus, Spitalgasse 2, Court 5, 1090 Vienna

In this talk, we compare the distribution of focus particles across two different Mabia languages, Dagbani and Likpakpaanl. In addition to left peripheral particles, this comparison will also extend to lower particles in the clause that can be argued to encode focus in addition to other properties. We demonstrate that Dagbani and Likpakpaanl, despite being closely related, show fundamental differences when it comes to focus marking. While Dagbani distinguishes between subject and non-subject focus in the CP, such a distinction cannot be observed for Likpakpaanl. Furthermore, while Dagbani seems to have a fixed low focus position, Likpakpaanl has in-situ focus marking where the focus particle attaches directly to the phrase. Finally, we show that focus particles in both languages are sensitive to clause-finality. In addition to a systematic data description, the talk offers a discussion of relevant theoretical concepts such as focus phrases and finality and how these are suited to derive the differences between Dagbani and Likpakpaanl.

Note:
Please register at: afrika@univie.ac.at. Only 25 people are allowed to attend the event.
Only persons being able to present proof of being PCR-tested, or vaccinated or of having recovered from a COVID-19 infection (2.5 G rule) are allowed to take part of the talk. The wearing of the FFP2 face masks is mandatory.

Chair: Adams Bodomo