Indicator Particles in Somali

Book excerpt: In Somali there is a number of indicators (phrasal particles) which act as signals of completeness of the sentence and affect the case system and verbal concords. The structures in which they occur have various semantic functions such as the directing of emphasis, making statements and questions, and affirmation and negation. The formulations presented in this article provide an over all view of the role of indicators and are illustrated by annotated examples, a large proportion of which are drawn from plays, newspaper articles, narratives and proverbs. Although mainly oriented towards data, the article incorporates some of the recent theoretical developments introduced into the Somali field by Robert Hetzron and A.K. Zholkovsky.