Presentational nana constructions in Reunion Creole: From bi-clausal cleft to monoclausal construction

Alina McLellan

doi:10.5565/rev/isogloss.397

Presentational nana constructions in Reunion Creole

From bi-clausal cleft to monoclausal construction

Authors

Alina McLellan The University of Manchester

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Abstract

This paper discusses a cluster of related constructions in Reunion Creole involving nana ‘have’. Focusing on a presentational construction that is functionally equivalent to the il y a-cleft of French, I argue that a once bi-clausal cleft has developed into a monoclausal broad focus construction in Reunion Creole. I present a Role and Reference Grammar analysis of both the bi-clausal cleft and the monoclausal construction, and in the former, I explain how the cleft relative clause differs from restrictive relative clauses.

Keywords

Reunion Creole, broad focus, cleft construction, existentials, relative clauses, Role and Reference Grammar

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