LINGUIST List 14.2517

Tue Sep 23 2003

Sum: Cross-linguistic Overview of Particles

Editor for this issue: Karen Milligan <karenlinguistlist.org>

Directory

1. Morrison, Summary of Query 14.2267 Particles

In late August I posed the following question to the list 
(Linguist 14.2267):

"I am looking for an introductory cross-linguistic overview of
'particles'. Can anyone recommend an introductory discussion that
extends beyond the Indo-European languages?"

Rather surprisingly I received only one reply. Dr Petek Kurtboke
kindly responded with information regarding Turkish particles, which
are generally in short supply in that language. Turkish has an
interrogative particle "mi" which is always written separately from
the preceding word. Suffixes can be attached to "mi", but with
restrictions. Dr Kurtboke also referred me to a book entitled
"Turkish Grammar" by G Lewis. Although Dr Kurtboke's response did not
point me in the direction cross-linguistic works on particles, his
response was nevertheless helpful, and I would like to thank him for
his correspondence.

It would seem that a published cross-linguistic overview of particles is 
lacking, perhaps reflecting the rather "loose" status of this linguistic 
element.


Anne Morrison
PhD Candidate
Communication, Information & New Media,
University of South Australia