Abstract:
This paper provides the first analysis of focus particles in Thai. Two types of
focus particles are introduced: exclusives and additives (scalar and non-scalar
additives). The interpretation of these particles invokes a set of alternatives that is
relevant to a given context. All of the focus particles obey the adjacency
requirement whereby these particles are always adjacent to the focus elements
and no scope ambiguity is observed. However, Thai shows subject/object
asymmetry with respect to focus marking in which the subject DP focus is only
available through the existential construction. There is also asymmetry between
wh-arguments and wh-adjuncts in focus intervention effects in Thai as proposed
by Kim (2002, 2006). In wh-arguments, the constructions involve wh-clefts as
proposed by Ruangjaroon (2005) while wh-adjuncts do not.
