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Article published In: Studies in Language
Vol. 40:2 (2016) ► pp.414–456

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Contrastive focus-marking and nominalization in Northern Kampa (Arawak) of Peru

Published online: 1 July 2016
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https://doi.org/10.1075/sl.40.2.05mih
This study examines the interaction of contrastive focus-marking with nominalization in bisected contrastive focus constructions of Alto Perené, a Kampa Arawak language of Peru. It also investigates morphosyntactic means of contrastive focus-marking in two neighboring Kampa languages, Ashéninka Pichis and Ashaninka Tambo. The languages are shown to employ various focus-marking strategies. The Alto Perené polar (truth value) focus construction shows a preference for nominalizing a lexical verb. In Ashaninka Tambo, the expression of polar and modal operator focus (the latter attested in negated clauses) does not require nominalization of the lexical verb, but in clefted content and polar questions and affirmative declarative clauses, nominalization is mandatory for the purpose of argument focusing. In Ashéninka Pichis, the argument focus-marking strategies include the syntactic movement of the focus constituent to the preverbal focus position and either an elision of the subject index on the verb, or inflecting the verb for stative aspect.
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Cited by (3)

Cited by three other publications

Durand, Tom
2022. Insubordination and Finitization in Arawakan Languages. International Journal of American Linguistics 88:4 ► pp. 469 ff. DOI logo
Mihas, Elena
2018. Nominalization patterns in Alto Perené, a Kampa Arawak language of Peru. STUF - Language Typology and Universals 71:1 ► pp. 99 ff. DOI logo
[no author supplied]
2017. Conversational structures of Alto Perené (Arawak) of Peru [Studies in Language Companion Series, 181], DOI logo

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