Nouns of direct address as PoDs in reported speech

2.4 Nouns of direct address as PoDs in reported speech

In quoted material the speaker often responds to the context with a point of departure before relating new information. This can be done with nouns of direct address and with interjections. Both are typically followed by a long pause, which suggests their function as points of departure. In 17 lines 10a–b the leopard enters the home of the witch doctor. Before the leopard states his business, he sets the point of departure by a greeting musingo ‘greetings’ and a noun of direct address e mufumu ‘o witch doctor’. 17 Pre-NO Pre-NI S V OC Post-NI Post-NO 10a Ingwi yanayingira Leopard and he entered 10b --- yanadeta [10c– 10h ] and he said 10c [Musingo e mufumu --- Nayija gira Greetings o witch doctor I have come in order that 10d --- undagule you tell for me the future ‘Leopard entered and said, “Greetings, doctor I have come so you can tell me my fortune.” ’ T2 In 18 the snake is threatened by the fire and comes to speak to the quail. Before he does, however, he sets the stage with a point of departure, greeting him by falsely establishing old information that he is his friend, E mwira wani ‘O my friend’. 18 Pre-NO Pre-NI S V OC Post-NI Post-NO 3a Yugwo mujoka gwanabwira iyo ngware kwokuno [3b] That snake and it told that quail like this 3b [E mwira wani --- Ungize na yugu muliro] O friend of mine You save me from this fire ‘That snake told that quail, “O my friend You have saved me from this fire.” ’ T3 In 19 line 38 the old man opens the door to reveal the hiding cow to the lion. When lion begins talking to the cow, he first acknowledges their previous relationship by the use of the noun of direct address E wangavu ‘O cow’. 19 Pre-NO Pre-NI S V OC Post-NI Post-NO 38 Ulya mushaaja anayigula That old man and he opened door 39a Wandare anabona wangaavu Lion and she saw cow 39b --- anamúbuuza and she asked it 39c E wangaavu nyandi úkanyiitira umwana O cow who killed to me child ‘That old man opened the door. The lion, when she saw the cow, she said, “O cow Who killed my child?” ’ T8

2.5 Background tenses