Verum focus is verum, not focus: Cross-linguistic evidence
The accent pattern known as verum focus is commonly understood as an ordinary alternative focus on the truth of a proposition. This standard view, which we call the focus accent thesis (FAT), can be contrasted with the lexical operator thesis (LOT), according to which the accent pattern that looks l...
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doaj-7e9fbe4102504b5ca0ca6e917cc4d7b22021-09-02T12:27:47ZengOpen Library of HumanitiesGlossa2397-18352020-06-015110.5334/gjgl.347500Verum focus is verum, not focus: Cross-linguistic evidenceDaniel Gutzmann0Katharina Hartmann1Lisa Matthewson2University of Cologne, Albertus-Magnus-Platz, CologneUniversity of Frankfurt, Norbert-Wollheim-Platz, FrankfurtUniversity of British Columbia, Totem Field Studios, Vancouver, BCThe accent pattern known as verum focus is commonly understood as an ordinary alternative focus on the truth of a proposition. This standard view, which we call the focus accent thesis (FAT), can be contrasted with the lexical operator thesis (LOT), according to which the accent pattern that looks like focus in languages like German or English is actually not an instance of focus marking, but realizes a lexical verum predicate, whose function is to relate the current proposition to a question under discussion. Although it is hard to distinguish between the FAT and the LOT on the basis of German or English, a broader cross-linguistic perspective seems to favor the LOT. Drawing from fieldwork on Tsimshianic (Gitksan) and Chadic (Bura, South Marghi), we first show that in none of these languages is verum realized in the same way that ordinary alternative focus is marked. This sheds initial doubt on the unity of verum and focus. Secondly, the FAT predicts that a language cannot have co-occuring verum and focus, if it does not allow multiple foci, and that a language should allow them to co-occur if it allows for multiple foci. Again, while it is hard to find counterexamples in German or English, some of the data from our cross-linguistic investigation favor the LOT.https://www.glossa-journal.org/articles/347verumfocusemphasisaccentquestion under discussion |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Daniel Gutzmann Katharina Hartmann Lisa Matthewson |
spellingShingle |
Daniel Gutzmann Katharina Hartmann Lisa Matthewson Verum focus is verum, not focus: Cross-linguistic evidence Glossa verum focus emphasis accent question under discussion |
author_facet |
Daniel Gutzmann Katharina Hartmann Lisa Matthewson |
author_sort |
Daniel Gutzmann |
title |
Verum focus is verum, not focus: Cross-linguistic evidence |
title_short |
Verum focus is verum, not focus: Cross-linguistic evidence |
title_full |
Verum focus is verum, not focus: Cross-linguistic evidence |
title_fullStr |
Verum focus is verum, not focus: Cross-linguistic evidence |
title_full_unstemmed |
Verum focus is verum, not focus: Cross-linguistic evidence |
title_sort |
verum focus is verum, not focus: cross-linguistic evidence |
publisher |
Open Library of Humanities |
series |
Glossa |
issn |
2397-1835 |
publishDate |
2020-06-01 |
description |
The accent pattern known as verum focus is commonly understood as an ordinary alternative focus on the truth of a proposition. This standard view, which we call the focus accent thesis (FAT), can be contrasted with the lexical operator thesis (LOT), according to which the accent pattern that looks like focus in languages like German or English is actually not an instance of focus marking, but realizes a lexical verum predicate, whose function is to relate the current proposition to a question under discussion. Although it is hard to distinguish between the FAT and the LOT on the basis of German or English, a broader cross-linguistic perspective seems to favor the LOT. Drawing from fieldwork on Tsimshianic (Gitksan) and Chadic (Bura, South Marghi), we first show that in none of these languages is verum realized in the same way that ordinary alternative focus is marked. This sheds initial doubt on the unity of verum and focus. Secondly, the FAT predicts that a language cannot have co-occuring verum and focus, if it does not allow multiple foci, and that a language should allow them to co-occur if it allows for multiple foci. Again, while it is hard to find counterexamples in German or English, some of the data from our cross-linguistic investigation favor the LOT. |
topic |
verum focus emphasis accent question under discussion |
url |
https://www.glossa-journal.org/articles/347 |
work_keys_str_mv |
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