Topics and topicalization in Amharic

Abstract The paper examines the information structure of Amharic sentences with regard to topicalization. The morphemes -mma , -ss , and -mm in Amharic have been ascribed a function as topic markers (cf. Blejer 1986, Gasser 1983, Hetzron 1973, Kapeliuk 1978, Leslau 1995, etc.). From a synchronic point of view we disagree with Leslau's (1995) analysis of -mma as a combination of -mm ‘TOP:N’ and -a(a) ‘TOP:E’. Further, we argue that only the morphemes -mma and -ss can be considered topic markers while -mm is rather a focus marker. Topics in Amharic are generally marked by fronting the constituent in question to the sentence-initial position. Those which are additionally marked by the morphemes -mm a and -ss are contrastive, i.e., ‘as for’-topics, while topics only marked by fronting are non-contrastive.