Information structure in Northern Amis: A morphosyntactic analysis

Abstract

This paper is a study of Information Structure (IS) in Northern Amis and its interaction with the voice system. These two domains are distinct, but interacting: the voice system obeys semantic and syntactic constraints, while IS and its related discourse categories (topics, foci) follows discourse parameters. A morphosyntactic analysis of the distinctive features of topics and focusing devices is conducted, showing how pragmatics maps onto syntax. Among focusing devices are evidential in situ foci, which recruit two evidential forms, han(=tu) and sa(=tu), and cleft narrow foci (informative or restrictive). Evidential foci also express stance and do not trigger any syntactic restructuring, in contrast with extracted cleft foci. As in other Formosan languages, a cleft core argument must be the syntactic pivot of the clause containing the presupposition, while there is no such constraint for cleft peripheral arguments and for adjuncts, which trigger a complement clause.