Title Juk and gi, and “particles” in contemporary Lithuanian: Explaining language-particular elements in a cross-linguistic context /
Authors Panov, Vladimir
DOI 10.15388/Kalbotyra.2019.3
Full Text Download
Is Part of Kalbotyra.. Vilnius : Vilniaus universiteto leidykla. 2019, t. 72, p. 58-86.. ISSN 1392-1517. eISSN 2029-8315
Keywords [eng] discours particles ; uncontroversial information marking ; shared knowledge ; common ground ; illocutionary force ; Lithuanian ; German ; comparative concepts
Abstract [eng] In this paper, I propose to take a fresh look at the elements traditionally termed “particles” in descriptions of Lithuanian. I establish criteria that would allow one to come up with a meaningful classification of such elements, and argue for the descriptive language-particular category of “sentence particles”. I then turn to the syntax and functions of juk and gi, two prominent elements of this category. In order to understand their functions better, I invoke cross-linguistic comparison. I demonstrate that the ideas expressed in the literature on the German particles doch and ja can also be applied to Lithuanian. All four particles exhibit a common meaning component, which I describe as framing the proposition as uncontroversial, but also significant differences. Finally, I provide a brief overview of similar categories in some neighboring and genealogically related languages, and introduce the general methodological and areal-typological dimension of the phenomenon.
Published Vilnius : Vilniaus universiteto leidykla
Type Journal article
Language English
Publication date 2019
CC license CC license description