Page 440 - A GRAMMAR OF BHOJPURI _ PhD Dissertation 2020 TU

also in use in abundant, some of them borrowed from its neighbours. They are
presented as follows:

a) Focus marker suffix -ओ /-o/ and particle भी /b ̤ i/

The suffix -ओ /-o/ is used to establish a marked focus relation between a
referent of a proposition and the proposition itself. The discourse environment in which

-ओ/-o/ is employed varies from assertions to counter-propositions. They are all clearly

related and may be subsumed under the term assertive focus. Noun phrases, adverbial
or verbal phrases, and postpositional phrases may all be placed in focus with the suffix -

ओ /-o/ immediately following the focused constituent. Following are the examples:

(26) a. ओ म" बाभनो के ना छोड़लक आ डोमो के ना छोड़लख लोग ।

o mẽ bɑb ̤ no ke nɑ cʰoɽlʌk ɑ
o mẽ bɑb ̤ ʌn-o ke nɑ cʰoɽ-ʌl-ʌkʰ ɑ
DIST LOC Brahmin-EMPH ACC NEG leave-PP-3.PST and

ɖomo ke nɑ cʰoɽlʌkʰ loɡ
ɖom-o ke nɑ cʰoɽ-ʌl-ʌkʰ loɡ
scavenger-EMPH ACC NEG leave-PP-3.PST people
'... The people neither excluded Brahmins nor Doms (the so-called lowest

untouchable Hindu caste of scavenger) in that.' (03.347)

b. ... जे एक चटाई जमीन िजनगी म" किहओ नइखे देखले ऊ लोग &कसान के नेता हो गइल ।
je ek cʌʈɑi jʌmin jinʌɡi mẽ kʌɦio nʌikʰe

je ek cʌʈɑi jʌmin jinʌɡi mẽ kʌɦiɑ-o nʌikʰ-e
COMP one mat land life LOC when-EMPH be.NEG.PRES-3SG

dekʰle u loɡ kisɑn ke netɑ ɦo ɡʌil
dekʰ-ʌl-e u loɡ kisɑn ke netɑ ɦo jɑ-il
see-PP-SEQ 3SG PL peasant GEN leader be go-3.PST

'... those who have not observed land equvalent to an area of even a mat
have now become leaders of the peasants.' (02.059)
c. ... भोजपुरी हम चाहेम तइयो ना छुटी ... ।

b ̤ ojpuri ɦʌm cɑɦem tʌio nɑ cʰuʈi
b ̤ ojpuri ɦʌm cɑɦ-em tʌi-o nɑ cʰuʈ-i

Bhojpuri 1SG want-FUT.H then-EMPH NEG leave-3SG.FUT

' Bhojpuri won't be apart from me even I wish ' (03.049)

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