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Simple Focus: Difference between revisions

574 bytes added ,  15:44, 23 October 2023
notes
(call it a "proposal", link some pages)
(notes)
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== Proposed simplified rules ==
== Proposed simplified rules ==
These rules are phrased in terms of {{t|kú}}, but they apply equally to any focus particle ({{t|béı, máo, tó, shúq…}}):


* Attaching a focus prefix {{t|ku-}} to a single word ''always'' focuses just that word.
# Attaching a focus prefix {{t|ku-}} to a single word ''always'' focuses just that word.
* Placing a focus word {{t|kú}} before a head ''always'' focuses the whole [[phrase]] that it projects.
# Placing a focus word {{t|kú}} before a head ''always'' focuses the whole [[phrase]] that it projects.
** This means {{t|kú sá hao}} and {{t|kú râo níchaq}} and {{t|kú ꝡä nuo jí}} focus that whole constituent.
#* This means {{t|kú <u>sá hao</u>}} and {{t|kú <u>râo níchaq</u>}} and {{t|kú <u>ꝡä nuo jí</u>}} focus that whole constituent.
* There is no tone-stealing. You'll never see {{t|kû}} or {{t|kü}} or {{t|ku}}.
# There is no tone-stealing. You'll never see {{t|kû}} or {{t|kü}} or {{t|ku}}.


Examples:
Examples:
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{{Example|Chuq jí bẹ́ıshamu.|(No,) it was the '''''apple''''' that I ate.<br><small>Again, {{t|beı-}} is prefixed onto {{t|shamu}}. The result is wrapped in {{Done|2}}.</small>}}
{{Example|Chuq jí bẹ́ıshamu.|(No,) it was the '''''apple''''' that I ate.<br><small>Again, {{t|beı-}} is prefixed onto {{t|shamu}}. The result is wrapped in {{Done|2}}.</small>}}


{{Example|Chuq jí bẹ́ıke shamu.|(No,) it was '''''the''''' apple that I ate.<br><small>{{t|beı-}} is prefixed onto {{t|ké}}, so just the determiner is focused (e.g. ''the'' apple as opposed to ''an'' apple).</small>}}
{{Example|Chuq jí bẹ́ıke shamu.|(No,) it was '''''the''''' apple that I ate.<br><small>{{t|beı-}} is prefixed onto {{t|ké}}, so just the determiner is focused<ref>To focus just the {{Done|2}} determiner, we can use its [[overt allomorph]] {{t|ló}}, giving {{t|bẹ́ılo}} ('''''the''''').</ref> (e.g. ''the'' apple as opposed to ''an'' apple).</small>}}


{{Example|Leo kụrıatua jí héqma.|I'm trying to '''''open''''' the container.<br><small>{{t|ku-}} is prefixed onto {{t|rıatua}}, so just the verb is focused.</small>}}
{{Example|Leo kụrıatua jí héqma.|I'm trying to '''''open''''' the container.<br><small>{{t|ku-}} is prefixed onto {{t|rıatua}}, so just the verb is focused.</small>}}
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{{Example|Dua nháo kú ꝡä chıeche jí.|(No,) she knows '''''that I'm a student'''''.<br><small>{{t|kú}} precedes the complementizer {{t|ꝡä}}, so the entire CP is focused.</small>}}
{{Example|Dua nháo kú ꝡä chıeche jí.|(No,) she knows '''''that I'm a student'''''.<br><small>{{t|kú}} precedes the complementizer {{t|ꝡä}}, so the entire CP is focused.</small>}}


{{Example|Dua nháo kụ̈ꝡa chıeche jí.|(No,) she knows '''''that''''' I'm a student.<br><small>{{t|ku-}} is prefixed onto {{t|ꝡä}}, so just the complementizer is focused (e.g. ''that'' I'm a student as opposed to ''whether'' I am one).</small>}}
{{Example|Dua nháo kụ̈ꝡa chıeche jí.|(No,) she knows '''''that''''' I'm a student.<br><small>{{t|ku-}} is prefixed onto {{t|ꝡä}}<ref>Officially, words in {{Done|3}} can't have prefixes, so this last example needs something like the [[Prefix Reform]] to be pronounceable (and then it'd be spelled {{t|kuꝡä}}). However, it's also not a very realistic use-case; it's presented here only to clarify the rules.
</ref>, so just the complementizer is focused (e.g. ''that'' I'm a student as opposed to ''whether'' I am one).</small>}}


== What about V? ==
== What about V? ==