jeff_l
(Jeff_L)
#1
648 12 Extraction processes
(752) a-haenay [sn-jä ae-raena]
Sg-see.VblN [lPlS-do.Reslt Sg-suffering]
'See suffering [focus] is what we have done.'
Further examples are (744) in §12.2.1, and (785.b) in §12.3.10. The latter
example (Ί don't know whether he simply hasn't gotten up yet', where the
extracted VblN 'get up' is focalized) shows that even when the logical focus is
the combination of negation plus a verb ('not get up'), only the (un-negated)
verb is extracted, as a VblN.
12.2.6 Focalization of other constituents
Consider (753).
(753) a. w-a-daer [a-\s w-ά n-in]
Ma-Dem.Sg-Anaph [Foc-Mnst Ma-Dem.Sg Poss-lSg]
'That [focus] is what is mine.'
b. nsekk [a-\s aen-haeraj]
lSg [Foc-Mnst neighbor]
Ί [focus] am the neighbor.'
c. ant-aen-ed [a-\s aen-haeraj-aen]
they [Foc-Mnstr 0-neighbor-MaPl
'Thev-Ma [focus] are the neighbors.' [K-d]
Here it is difficult to tell whether a-\s is the complementizer 'that ...'
(§13.7) or an instrumental form of Foe ά. In any event, the construction
functions as the focalized version of both the predicate genitive of the type 'is
mine' (753.a), cf. §9.4, and copular constructions of the type 'X is Y'
(753.b-c), cf. §9.2.
a-\s is also used in constructions like (754).
(754) aemaera α-wen [a-\s arhe-γ a-\hl-\d3r-3s
now Dem-Dist [Foc-Mnstr want.Reslt-lSgS Dem-\lSgO-\in-3Sg
0-s-3nnafis3l-aed ά-baennan]
2S-Caus-distinguish.ShImpf-2SgS Sg-a.little]
'Now that [focus] is what I want you to distinguish (=describe) for me
a little.'
a-\s can be described as a "wastebasket" focalization phrase, for use when
the extracted NP does not fit into any simple structural position (subject,
object, prepositional complement) for which a simple focalization structure is
