A Dependent Marking Approach to the Information Marking of Shilluk

Abstract

This paper aims to apply the dependent marking theory to shed light on the distribution of the information markers in Shilluk, which can be divided into two types: marked and unmarked. Focus belongs to the marked type, while Topic belongs to the unmarked type. This paper claims that information marking in Shilluk consists of two steps, with the marked type assigned in Step 1 and the unmarked type in Step 2. In Step 1, if an NP is c-commanded by another NP in a domain, it is assigned the feature [FOC]. In Step 2, if there is a remaining NP that has received no marking in Step 1, it is assigned [TOP]. Topic carries no marking, which gives rise to the pattern no marking before the verb.