Narrative particles in Hocak myths

Lynn Ann Burley, Purdue University

Abstract

This dissertation explores the role of six narrative particles in Hocák myth, eesge ‘so’, hogore( h)izhá ‘one time’, zheejága ‘finally’, higú ‘still’, háá ‘yes’ and zheegú ‘well.’ Using four myths from Danker's study (1983), 1 show that despite the difficulty of translating the narrative particles into English and the practice of ignoring many of them, the narrative particles are essential to the, rhetorical structure of each myth. As chiefly structuring devices, they function to establish the time frames, to relate narrative events, to add meaning and poetic quality. They are an integral part of the patterning numbers of Hocák, two and four, and as such, they conceptualize the narrative along with the other components of the rhetorical structure, the prosodic and the syntactic. In addition, I look briefly at one of the narrative particles, zheegú, as it appears in non-initial slots to examine its other function within the myths, namely as a marker of emphasis. Then I examine three other types of discourse where the narrative particles are greatly reduced in number to show that their function is chiefly part of the myth since the formal patterning is only to be found in storytelling.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Raskin, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Linguistics

COinS