The indexical expressions gam2 and gam3 in Cantonese

JOANNA UT-SEONG SIO & SZE-WING TANG 55. The indexical expressions gam2 and gam3 in Cantonese . Joanna Ut-Seong Sio & Sze-Wing Tang The Hong Kong Polytechnic University 1. Introduction indexical expressions are items whose contribution to propositional content depends on the context (Chierchia & McConnell-Ginet 1990). Languages employ different indexical items to make reference to different type of entities. Demonstratives are often used in noun phrases to refer to locations in space or time. In Cantonese , there exists an indexical element, gam, whose reference is neither located spatially nor temporally.

THE INDEXICAL EXPRESSIONS GAM2, GAM3 IN CANTONESE 58 reading. When it is used to denote the manner of an event, the element gam2 has to follow it, as in (5b). When gam2 is absent, the reading is only clausal, as in (5a). (6) a. Keoi5 hou2 faai3 zau2-zo2 laa3. 3SG very fast leave-ASP SFP ‘He left early.’ (clausal reading)

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