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Deixis in the Dagaare Nominal Group

Syntagmatic and Paradigmatic Perspectives

Bibliographic Data

ID4168802
AuthorsIsaac N Mwinlaaru (0000-0002-0197-3942, University of Cape Coast, corresponding author)
Year2021
Volume67
Issue3
Pages281-317
Publication date2021-07-03
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueWORD (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0043-7956 • E-ISSN: 2373-5112
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00437956.2021.1957546
OpenAlexW3209585332
LanguageEN
Citations received7
References cited26

Although the use of multiple deictic items such as definite articles, possessives and demonstratives in the nominal group of many languages has been noted in the literature, the motivation for this phenomenon is often unexplained. The present study examines this phenomenon in the Lobr dialect of Dagaare (Niger-Congo: Mabia/Gur) from both syntagmatic and paradigmatic perspectives. It first identifies three deictic functions in the structure of the Dagaare nominal group: Deictic1 ^ Deictic2 ^ Classifier ^ Thing ^ Epithet ^ Numerative ^ Deictic3 ^ Qualifier. Second, the study shows that the system of deixis in the Dagaare nominal group involves a division of semiotic labor among deictic elements in the realization of (participant) identification, person systems and specificity. Specifically, the definite article is used as a participant tracking device, including the reactivation of participants with unique reference from the common memory of the speaker and addressee. Demonstratives are specificity marking devices and thus encode discrete semantic information of referents, while indefinite determiners are non-specificity markers. The study combines issues that have been pursued as separate topics in the literature to shed insights on deixis in the nominal group as well as related concepts such as definiteness and specificity

Definiteness · Deixis · Epistemology · Linguistics · Phenomenon · Pragmatics · Syntagmatic analysis · Language, Discourse, Communication Strategies · Linguistics and Discourse Analysis · Philosophy · Psychology · Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation

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  • Natural language ontology

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  • Construing chemistry knowledge through English systematic names of organic compounds

    Open Access•Zhigang Yu•Language Sciences•2025

  • Construing Joy as Body Parts in Akan

    Esther Asare, Isaac N Mwinlaaru et al.•WORD•2024

  • Is there a polarity-prominent language? A typological perspective on Dagaare verbal systems

    Open Access•Isaac N Mwinlaaru•Lingua•2025

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    Open Access•Georg F K Höhn, Alain Noindonmon Hien•Journal of African Languages and…•2025

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Unique citing works7
Citations per year1,75
Citation span2022 - 2026 (5)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 7
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