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Focus, topic, cleft: Difference between revisions
use template:t wherever possible
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* {{green|bï}} is a [[topic]] marker. It identifies what the sentence is about. Here, it tells the listener that we're making some point about apples. | * {{green|{{t|bï}}}} is a [[topic]] marker. It identifies what the sentence is about. Here, it tells the listener that we're making some point about apples. | ||
* {{blue|nä}} is a [[cleft]] verb. It purely helps us rearrange words when we feel like it. Here, it achieves a pseudo SVO word order. | * {{blue|{{t|nä}}}} is a [[cleft]] verb. It purely helps us rearrange words when we feel like it. Here, it achieves a pseudo SVO word order. | ||
* {{orange|kú}} is a [[focus]] marker. It identifies the new or contrasting information in the sentence: What apples does Laqme like? ''Sour'' apples. | * {{orange|{{t|kú}}}} is a [[focus]] marker. It identifies the new or contrasting information in the sentence: What apples does Laqme like? ''Sour'' apples. | ||
== Syntax == | == Syntax == | ||
* The syntax of {{green|bï}} is: {{t|{{small caps|topic}} bï {{small caps|comment}}}}. | * The syntax of {{green|{{t|bï}}}} is: {{t|{{small caps|topic}} bï {{small caps|comment}}}}. | ||
** {{small caps|topic}} must be a [[definite]] [[noun phrase]], like <i>the cat</i> or <i>that I love you</i>. If you want to refer back to the topic, you may not use {{t|hóa}}, but you may use any of the other strategies available to you, like {{t|máq}} or {{t|hụ́ꝡa}}. | ** {{small caps|topic}} must be a [[definite]] [[noun phrase]], like <i>the cat</i> or <i>that I love you</i>. If you want to refer back to the topic, you may not use {{t|hóa}}, but you may use any of the other strategies available to you, like {{t|máq}} or {{t|hụ́ꝡa}}. | ||
* The word {{blue|nä}} can be used to front [[noun phrase]]s and [[adverbial]]s. | * The word {{blue|{{t|nä}}}} can be used to front [[noun phrase]]s and [[adverbial]]s. | ||
** When fronting a noun phrase, the syntax is {{t|{{small caps|noun phrase}} nä {{small caps|relative clause}}}}. The [[relative clause]] must [[anaphora|refer back]] to the noun phrase, either using {{t|hóa}} or an appropriate [[pronoun]] like {{t|hó}}. | ** When fronting a noun phrase, the syntax is {{t|{{small caps|noun phrase}} nä {{small caps|relative clause}}}}. The [[relative clause]] must [[anaphora|refer back]] to the noun phrase, either using {{t|hóa}} or an appropriate [[pronoun]] like {{t|hó}}. | ||
** When fronting an adverbial, the syntax is {{t|{{small caps|adverbial}} nä {{small caps|clause}}}}. In this usage, {{t|hóa}} is not used because there’s nothing to refer back to. | ** When fronting an adverbial, the syntax is {{t|{{small caps|adverbial}} nä {{small caps|clause}}}}. In this usage, {{t|hóa}} is not used because there’s nothing to refer back to. | ||
* The word {{orange|kú}} goes in front of the focused piece of information. To focus a single word instead of a whole constituent, you can use the prefix form {{orange|ku-}}. See [[Simple Focus]]. | * The word {{orange|{{t|kú}}}} goes in front of the focused piece of information. To focus a single word instead of a whole constituent, you can use the prefix form {{orange|{{t|ku-}}}}. See [[Simple Focus]]. | ||
== Gotchas == | == Gotchas == | ||