Lexical Signaling of Information Structure in Akan

Abstract

Akan (Kwa, Niger Congo) has a rich inventory of lexical items for the purposes of signaling information structure. This paper examines the communicative role of a number of these markers. The focus marker na singles out the constituent within its scope as the only new information in the utterance in which it is contained. Two inclusive markers are identified; they are (n)so and mpo. (N)so is an additive focus marker which indicates that the utterance to which it is attached has to be interpreted in a context parallel to that of the immediately preceding utterance. Mpo is a scalar marker; the entity within its scope is considered quite low on a pragmatically given scale. Exclusive markers in the language include the restrictive nko and the multifunctional ara. The latter combines with features of the context to communicate restriction, simultaneity, continuity, or it may cause the accompanying utterance to receive a scalar reading. Finally, the traditional analysis associated with the information structural marker de is shown to be untenable. Thus, an alternative analysis is proffered, based on critical examination of its discourse function, using attested data.