Christina L. Truong
Book chapter in Topic in Discourse: Areal Overviews and Case Studies, edited by Brendon Yoder.
This chapter provides an overview of linguistic strategies for the introduction and
maintenance of discourse topics in Austronesian languages. First, nominal reference is
discussed, including the use of zero realization, contrasts between long and short form
pronominals, and deictic markers used pronominally or as modifiers for topical referents. Second,
structural positions that may correlate with topicality of arguments in particular verbal
constructions are identified. Presentational clauses, symmetrical voice constructions, applicatives,
and serial verb constructions are discussed, as well as languages in which pronominal reference or
zero realization correlates with discourse topicality for specific types of core arguments but not
others. Third, the use of marked word order to signal special pragmatic status of a referent is
considered. Marked word order may be accompanied by use of particular prosodic cues and
discourse particles, and some constructions require the preposed or postposed constituent to be a
syntactic subject or pivot. The chapter concludes with an assessment of our current understanding
of discourse topic in Austronesian languages, highlighting key issues for future research.