Word Order and Focus in the Chukot

The languages of the world can be classified according to their default core argument order: SVO, SOV, VSO, VOS, OVS or OSV. The choice between those combinations is based on pragmatic factors, which may differ between languages, including the Chukchi language. Thе relevance of this research resides in that some aspect of the Chukchi language have been well researched (such as morphology and phonology), but questions of discourse analysis less so, e.g. the relationship between word order and focus on topic or comment. Thegoalofthepresentarticleistodefinethatrelationship. The research was conducted using functional-typological methods on a corpus of Chukchi folk tales. The results lead us to the following conclusions. In the Chukchi language core argument order alternates between SOV and SVO, but it can be said that SOV is the default order. Often the S or O arguments are elided, since the verb bears suffixes marking the person and number ofthe subject and object (SV, OV), but they can be used for discourse purposes. Since the known information (topic) usually goes before the new information (comment), the new information is highly marked whenever it goes before the known information. The most likelyconstituentto fulfil the role of topic in the clause is the subject. And so it can be posited that (S)OVis the default order, with elided argument (for being known) and no particular focus. In the case of order SOV the focus is on the topic, which is why the subject cannot be elided, e.g. at the beginning of an episode in the story or for purposes of participant switch or contrast. In the case of order SVO the author introduces a new participantin the comment position, which becomes the focus.

Chukchi language, word order, core arguments, focus, topic, comment, verb, subject, agent, patient

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