Expression of narrow focus in spontaneous Estonian dialogues

Estonian offers several means for expressing narrow focus, including a choice between a syntactic strategy resulting in marked constituent order, and a prosodic strategy resulting in marked nuclear accent placement. The present study examines the usage of the different focus-marking strategies in spontaneous dialogues, with the primary aim of verifying the hypothesis that when either the syntactic or the prosodic strategy must be used, the prosodic strategy is preferred. The results show an overwhelming preference for keeping both the constituent order and the accent placement unmarked. In the relatively small number of cases where either the syntactic or the prosodic strategy must be chosen, a slight preference for the prosodic strategy can be observed. There also exists a minor strategy of focus fronting, whereby both the constituent order and the nuclear accent placement are marked; the role of this strategy requires further study. Kokkuvote. Heete Sahkai: Kitsa fookuse valjendamine eestikeelses suulises dialoogis. Eesti keel voimaldab valjendada kitsast fookust muuhulgas nii moodustajajarje kui primaarse lauserohu asukoha abil. Artiklis vaadeldakse kitsa fookuse valjendamist reisiburoo dialoogides peamise eesmargiga kontrollida hupoteesi, et suulises kones eelistatakse suntaktilisele fookuse valjendamisele prosoodilist. Tulemused naitavad tugevat eelistust lausungite suhtes, kus on samaaegselt nii markeerimata moodustajajarg kui ka markeerimata prosoodia. Juhtumeid, kus tuleb valida kas markeeritud moodustajajarg voi markeeritud prosoodia, on suhteliselt vahe ning nende pohjal voib jareldada, et prosoodiline markeerimine on toepoolest monevorra eelistatud. Edasist uurimist nouab andmestikus vahesel maaral esindatud lausealguline fookus, mille puhul on markeeritud nii moodustajajarg kui primaarse lauserohu asukoht. Votmesonad: fookus; moodustajajarg; lauserohk; eesti keel