-yä wa
kɩ s
ɩɩ numʋ
ADD
2 3
P XPOT
:
NHP ADD
3 hear:
COM
so that they may also hear them, -mä
ɩyä
wa kɩ
s ɩɩ
wa bhlɩ
fä
ADD
4
ADD
2 3
P XPOT
:
NHP ADD
3 3
P
country send and so that they can even take them to their home country.’ [sigo 21–23]
In example 158, a sequence of three clauses is conjoined by ɩyä. The different actions of a ritual
for the dead are explained to the person who is to carry them all out, each action having its own special significance. It is not the order of the actions that is in view here; rather, what is in view is the fact that
they are all to be performed.
158 kɔɔn
nylipë lesie
kʋ ɩyä ŋʋ -lɔɔ
tɩtɔ always sweep tomb on
ADD
2 put there ashes ‘… always sweep the tomb on top and put ashes there,
ɩyä ŋʋ -lɔɔ
- bhʋbhlä
-ya wätɩä
ADD
2 put there leaves sp.
ADD
2 leaves sp. and put Bubla and Wateea leaves there
-n pi -
läbʋ ɩyä
-n ŋʋ -lɔɔ
2
S
cook mashed_banana
ADD
2 2
S
put there Cook mashed banana and put it there’ [siamoi 41–46]
8.1.3 The additive connective s
ɩɩ ‘ADD3’
The additive s ɩɩ invites the hearer to find information in the context which is strengthened by adding
the information of the clause containing s ɩɩ. The meaning of sɩɩ can thus be formulated by the
following instruction for interpretation: •
Look in the context for information that is strengthened by the information given in the clause containing s
ɩɩ. The strengthening of information can happen in several ways, which the hearer is able to derive in
a given context and which will be referred to as the different contextual effects of s ɩɩ.
6
Depending on which contextual effect is aimed at by the author, the connective may be translated into English as ‘also’,
‘too’, ‘even’, ‘after all’, ‘indeed’, or ‘furthermore’. The position of the connective s
ɩɩ is always after the verb, or after the auxiliary if there is a verb brace. However, elements that are semantically close to the predicate precede s
ɩɩ, such as the low prominence particle lä, as in example 159a, or a tense particle, as in example 159b.
159 a.
-n yää puë -
amʋ -mä kä n puë- lä
sɩɩ
2
S XPER
:1
SO
save 1
S
:
TH ADD
4
ASF
1
S
save:2
SO LOP
ADD
3 ‘You saved me, now I am saving you, too.’ [sigo 168–169]
b. ɔ
yä bhɛ kɔgwlɛ plä
nɩ -
amʋ -mä 3
S XPER
PST
2 old_age enter
ADD
1 1
S
:
TH ADD
4 ‘… he had become old and, as for me,
6
See Blass 1990:134-160 for her groundbreaking treatment of a similar particle in the Sissala [sld] language of Burkina Faso.
n yä
bhɛ sɩɩ kɔgwlɛ plä
1
S XPER
PST
2
ADD
3 old_age enter I had also become old …’ [elisabet 24–25]
8.1.3.1 The connective s
ɩɩ and parallel strengthening As Blass 1990:144 points out, parallel strengthening means that the hearer is required to draw the
same conclusion from the two parallel utterances. The conclusion that is strengthened by the utterance containing s
ɩɩ often remains implicit but can be provided by the hearer through the discourse context. However, it can also be made explicit by the speaker, as in example 160a, taken from a Bible story
freely told back by the speaker. 160
a. -
amʋ Zakalii n
yä kɔgwlɛ plä
nä 1
S
:
TH
Zachariah 1
S XPER
old_age enter
SP
1 ‘As I, Zachariah, I have become old,
nn -lä
yɩɔ yu
gää 1
S
:
XNEG
yet anymore child beget I will no longer beget a child,
nɩ naa
ŋnɔ yä
s ɩɩ
kɔgwlɛ plä
nä
ADD
1 my
wife
XPER ADD
3 old_age enter
SP
1 and my wife has also become old,
aa -lä
yɩɔ yu
gää 1
P
:
XNEG
yet anymore
child beget
we will no longer beget a child.’ [elisabet 29–31] b.
-n yää puë -
amʋ -mä kä n puë- lä
sɩɩ
2
S XPER
:1
SO
save 1
S
:
TH ADD
4
ASF
1
S
save:2
SO LOP
ADD
3 ‘You saved me, now I am saving you, too.’ [sigo 168]
c. ɔ
yä bhɛ kɔgwlɛ plä
‘nɩ -
amʋ -mä 3
S XPER
PST
2 old_age enter
ADD
1 1
S
:
TH ADD
4 ‘He had become old and, as for me,
n yä
bhɛ sɩɩ kɔgwlɛ plä
1
S XPER
PST
2
ADD
3 old_age enter
I had also become old.’ [elisabet 24–25]
8.1.3.2 The connective s
ɩɩ and backwards confirmation Backwards confirmation see Blass 1990:145ff. is the second major contextual effect of the additive
connective s ɩɩ. In this case sɩɩ provides additional evidence for a conclusion already established in the
context, rather than giving a parallel premise for a conclusion that needs to be drawn yet, as happens in parallel strengthening discussed above.
7
7
It could be argued that parallel strengthening is only a special case of backwards strengthening, as the parallel premise is also evidence towards the same conclusion.
In the context of backwards confirmation, the translations of s ɩɩ into English are ‘also’, ‘too’,
‘indeed’, ‘furthermore’, and ‘after all’, as illustrated in example 161.
8
161 a.
ɩ plöö-
gämalɩ
NHP BE
2:
CP
play:
NOM
‘It’s about having fun. ɩzä n pä
lä s
ɩɩ
- lɔɔ
nünë yɩ
CLU
1 1
S
throw:
ICP LOP
ADD
3 there
tale
DDEM
That’s why I am telling that story, after all.’ [creation 145–146] b.
- mɔ
-bhlogbe co -
mɔ plöö-
lä -
anyɩa yu 2
S
:
TH
one_single
ID
2
S
:
TH BE
2:
CP LOP
1
P
:
GEN
child ‘You alone, you are our child,
-l ɔɔ Laagɔ
ny ɩ
-any ɩ lä
nä Ɩzä n
mii-
DPF
God give 1
PO LOP
SP CLU
1 1
S
be_able:
CP
the one God has given us. That is why I seize the opportunity nɩ
n sonö-ö
lä s
ɩɩ sɔɔ
ADD
1 1
S
speak:
APL
:2
SO
:
ICP LOP
ADD
3 thus
to also tell you about that.’ [elisabet 102–105]
8.1.3.3 The connective s
ɩɩ and pseudo-relatives Utterances that are introduced by the pseudo-relatives whoever, whenever, and whatever in English are
expressed with s ɩɩ in Godié, as in example 162.
9
162 a
kä lä
s ɩɩ
g wɛ
ni nɩ
ɛ 2
P XCND
LOP ADD
3 chimpanzee find
ADD
1
NH
2 ‘So whenever you see a chimpanzee
kä lä
ɛɛ numnuu
plöplönyʋä tlaa
nä
XCND LOP
NH
2:
GEN
lip pass:pass_people show
SP
1 and it shows its lips to all who pass…’ [gwebhutu 53–54]
8.1.4 The additive connective -mä ‘ADD4’