The accent functions on nouns in Siwi

Valentina Schiattarella
Università degli studi di Napoli ‘L’Orientale’

In this presentation, I discuss about the accent functions on nouns in Siwi (synchronic analysis).
Accent on nouns in Siwi, a Berber language (Afro-asiatic phylum) spoken in Siwa (Egypt), can fall on the last
or penultimate syllable:

tálti taltı́, ‘woman’

Among the factors determining accent position, it is useful to notice that in the citation form, accent is on the
last syllable but if a preposition precedes the noun, then the accent is on the penultimate syllable. When the
noun is followed by a demonstrative, accent on the noun is on the last syllable, but if the noun has a possessive
clitic, accent is on the penultimate syllable.

In discourse, accent has a pragmatic function and it is used to track referents (discourse internal, tracking
device).

Usually referents are introduced with the accent on the last syllable, and then they are taken up again with the
accent on the penultimate syllable:

maṛṛa di azidı́ / d tɣátt / azı́di kull yom / g-i-ff̣ aɣ

̣
time EXIST jackal.M / and goat.F / jackal.M every day / IRR-3SG.M-go_out.AOR
Once there was a jackal and a goat. The jackal every day would go out…

In non verbal predication, right detached constructions and fixed expressions, the accent on the noun is on the
last syllable but left detached nouns have accent on the penultimate syllable. Moreover, locative features accent
on the last syllable (toponyms).

The investigation is based on oral data collected by me in Siwa.

Abbreviations:
3 third person
AOR aorist
EXIST existential
F feminine
IRR irrealis
M masculine
SG singular

References
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