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Modal marking in Akan: the case of anka
- Source :
-
Journal of Pragmatics . Jul2005, Vol. 37 Issue 7, p997-1013. 17p. - Publication Year :
- 2005
-
Abstract
- Abstract: The current article considers a marker, anka, in Akan (Niger-Congo, Kwa branch), which has a variety of uses. Adopting a relevance-theoretic approach, I argue that anka is a marker with a modal meaning. In spite of the variety of uses of this word, I propose a univocal lexical semantics for it, which will be shown to account for its context-dependent function in all the categories. Taking into consideration the interplay between the encoded meaning of anka and pragmatically derived information in actual speech situations, monosemy is seen as a more economical and psychologically plausible way of accounting for the communicative function of this Akan marker. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Subjects :
- *AKAN (African people)
*SEMANTICS
*COMMUNICATION
*PSYCHOLINGUISTICS
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 03782166
- Volume :
- 37
- Issue :
- 7
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Journal of Pragmatics
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 17686114
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2004.12.008