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Subject and topic: evidence from Kenyang
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 00:13 authored by Melanie GreenMelanie Green, Florence A. E. FlorenceThe Cameroonian language Kenyang provides evidence for the view that subjects evolve from topics, and subject agreement morphemes from pronominal subjects. Kenyang has fully grammaticalised clause-internal subjects, and a pre-verbal subject marker that licenses null subjects, as well as marking aspect. Clause-external topics may be involved in subject-like processes such as reflexivisation or control of a null embedded subject, but only through a chain of reference mediated by a co-referential subject. A comparison of topic and clause-initial contrastive focus enables a full characterisation of topic by revealing systematic structural differences. A broadly minimalist analysis provides a straightforward model of the findings.
History
Publication status
- Published
Journal
Transactions of the Philological SocietyPublisher
WileyExternal DOI
Volume
110Page range
1-16Department affiliated with
- English Publications
Full text available
- No
Peer reviewed?
- Yes