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Over the last two decades, focus has become a prominent topic in major fields in linguistic research (syntax, semantics, phonology). Focus Strategies in African Languages contributes to the ongoing discussion of focus by investigating focus-related phenomena in a range of African languages, most of which have been under-represented in the theoretical literature on focus. The articles in the volume look at focus strategies in Niger-Congo and Afro-Asiatic languages from several theoretical and methodological perspectives, ranging from detailed generative analysis to careful typological generalization across languages. Their common aim is to deepen our understanding of whether and how the information-structural category of focus is represented and marked in natural language. Topics investigated are, among others, the relation of focus and prosody, the effects of information structure on word order, ex situ versus in situ strategies of focus marking, the inventory of focus marking devices, focus and related constructions, focus-sensitive particles. The present inquiry into the focus systems of African languages has repercussions on existing theories of focus. It reveals new focus strategies as well as fine-tuned focus distinctions that are not discussed in the theoretical literature, which is almost exclusively based on well-documented intonation languages.

Niger-Congo languages --- Afroasiatic languages --- Focus (Linguistics) --- Discourse analysis --- Grammar, Comparative and general --- Afrasian languages --- Afro-Asiatic languages --- Erythraic languages --- Hamito-Semitic languages --- Semito-Hamitic languages --- African languages --- Grammar. --- Topic and comment --- African languages. --- pragmatics.

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This is a new contribution to a theory of reiteration in natural languages, with a special focus on creoles. Reiteration is meant to denote any situation where the same form occurs (at least) twice within the boundaries of some linguistic domain. By including two case studies bearing on Hebrew and Breton alongside five chapters on creole languages (Surinam creole, Haitian, Mauritian, São Tomé and Pitchi), this volume brings counter-evidence to the claim that reiteration phenomena are particularly typical of creoles. And by exploring the syntax of reiteration alongside its morphology

Creolan languages --- Grammar --- Dialectology --- Creole dialects --- Repetition (Rhetoric) --- Langues créoles --- Répétition (Rhétorique) --- Morphosyntax --- Morphology --- Syntax --- Morphosyntaxe --- Morphologie --- Syntaxe --- Creole dialects -- Morphology. --- Creole dialects -- Morphosyntax. --- Creole dialects -- Syntax. --- Repetition (Rhetoric). --- Morphosyntax. --- Morphology. --- Syntax. --- Langues créoles --- Répétition (Rhétorique) --- Creole languages --- Creolized languages --- Rhetoric --- Literary style --- Languages, Mixed --- Pidgin languages