Information structure in Sara-Bagirmi A comparative approach to the synchronic state and diachronic development in the expression of information structure, with special attention to predicate-centered focus types D i s s e r t a t i o n zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades doctor philosophiae (Dr. phil.) im Fach Afrikawissenschaften eingereicht am 9. Februar 2017 an der Kultur-, Sozial- und Bildungswissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin von Peggy Jacob geb. Pietsch, M.A. Präsidentin der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr. Sabine Kunst Dekanin der Kultur-, Sozial- und Bildungswissenschaftlichen Fakultät: Prof. Dr. Julia von Blumenthal Gutachter: 1. Prof. Dr. Tom Güldemann (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin) 2. Prof. Dr. Manfred Krifka (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin) Tag der mündlichen Prüfung: 13. Juni 2017 Table of contents TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................... I ZUSAMMENFASSUNG ............................................................................................VII ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................IX ABBREVIATIONS ....................................................................................................XI 0 PREFACE ........................................................................................................... 1 1 INTRODUCTION INTO THE RESEARCH FIELD...................................................... 5 1.1 THE SARA-BAGIRMI-LANGUAGE FAMILY: AN OVERVIEW.....................................................5 1.1.1 Genealogical affiliation ..........................................................................................5 1.1.2 Geographical distribution .......................................................................................8 1.1.3 Sociolinguistical remarks......................................................................................11 1.2 DATA AND METHODOLOGY ...........................................................................................12 1.2.1 Identifying information-structural categories .........................................................12 1.2.2 Data sources........................................................................................................14 1.2.2.1 Data from texts ........................................................................................................................ 14 1.2.2.2 Data elicitation ........................................................................................................................ 15 1.2.2.3 Data from secondary sources: Grammars, sketches, text books............................................... 16 1.2.3 Compiling my language sample.............................................................................20 1.3 SARA-BAGIRMI LANGUAGES: A BRIEF GRAMMATICAL SKETCH............................................22 1.3.1 Tonal marking.....................................................................................................22 1.3.2 Canonical sentence structure ................................................................................23 1.3.3 Verb system.........................................................................................................25 1.3.4 Inventory of information-structural markers..........................................................30 2 INFORMATION STRUCTURE IN SARA-BAGIRMI................................................. 33 2.1 BASIC NOTIONS OF INFORMATION STRUCTURE ................................................................33 2.2 THETIC STATEMENTS....................................................................................................35 ii Preface 2.2.1 General remarks on theticity ................................................................................35 2.2.2 The expression of thetic statements in Sara-Bagirmi ..............................................36 2.2.3 Summary: Thetic statements.................................................................................39 2.3 TOPIC AND BACKGROUND .............................................................................................40 2.3.1 The concept of topic and background....................................................................40 2.3.2 Subjects as topic ..................................................................................................41 2.3.3 Preposed topical or background information .........................................................43 2.3.3.1 Preposed topical/background information in BAGIRMI............................................................. 43 2.3.3.2 Preposed topical/background information in KENGA ............................................................... 45 2.3.3.3 Preposed topical/background information in MBAY ................................................................ 47 2.3.3.4 Preposed topical/background information in NGAMBAY........................................................... 50 2.3.4 Background marking (without extra-posing) .........................................................50 2.3.4.1 Background marking in BAGIRMI .............................................................................................. 51 2.3.4.2 Background marking in KENGA ................................................................................................ 53 2.3.4.3 Background marking in MBAY.................................................................................................. 54 2.3.4.4 Background marking in NGAMBAY ............................................................................................ 56 2.3.5 Summary: Topic and background .........................................................................57 2.4 FOCUS AND FOREGROUND.............................................................................................60 2.4.1 The concept of focus and foreground ....................................................................60 2.4.1.1 The nature of focus.................................................................................................................. 60 2.4.1.2 Remarks on formal encoding of focus ..................................................................................... 61 2.4.1.3 Remarks on formal encoding of focus in Sara-Bagirmi............................................................ 64 2.4.2 Formal encoding of focus .....................................................................................66 2.4.2.1 Unmarked focus....................................................................................................................... 66 2.4.2.2 Focus preposing structures ...................................................................................................... 68 2.4.2.2.1 Term focus preposing ...................................................................................................... 69 2.4.2.2.1.1 Term focus preposing in BAGIRMI ............................................................................. 69 2.4.2.2.1.2 Term focus preposing in KENGA................................................................................ 70 2.4.2.2.1.3 Term focus preposing in NGAMBAY ........................................................................... 72 2.4.2.2.1.4 Term focus preposing in KABBA ................................................................................ 73 Information structure in Sara-Bagirmi iii 2.4.2.2.1.5 Term focus preposing in MBAY ................................................................................. 73 2.4.2.2.1.6 Term focus preposing in SAR .................................................................................... 74 2.4.2.2.2 Verb focus preposing ....................................................................................................... 75 2.4.2.2.2.1 Verb focus preposing in MBAY .................................................................................. 76 2.4.2.2.2.1.1 Verb focus preposing with the structure [FOC la BG yé] ................................. 77 2.4.2.2.2.1.2 Verb focus preposing with the structure [FOC ń BG dá].................................. 77 2.4.2.2.2.2 Verb focus preposing in SAR..................................................................................... 79 2.4.2.3 Topic preposing structures ...................................................................................................... 79 2.4.2.3.1 Term topic preposing in BAGIRMI...................................................................................... 80 2.4.2.3.2 Verb topic preposing........................................................................................................ 81 2.4.2.3.2.1 Verb topic preposing in KENGA ................................................................................. 82 2.4.2.3.2.2 Verb topic preposing in SAR ..................................................................................... 84 2.4.2.4 In-situ verb doubling structures............................................................................................... 84 2.4.2.4.1 In-situ verb doubling in BAGIRMI ...................................................................................... 85 2.4.2.4.2 In-situ verb doubling in KENGA ........................................................................................ 86 2.4.2.4.3 In-situ verb doubling in MBAY.........................................................................................