Johnson 2004 - CDLI - UCLA

pronouns to form topic constructions can be explained rather straightforwardly if the
addition of a possessive pronoun makes the noun definite, since discourse topics are
regularly definite cross-linguistically. As emphasized by Woods, many of these
supposedly possessive pronouns could be reinterpreted as demonstrative pronouns
(Woods 2001, 87-94), but the same topic-marking function also occurs with first and
second person possessive pronouns (which are, of course, deictic, but not demonstrative
in the ordinary sense of the term). Compare, for example, (65), (66) and (67), setting
aside for the moment questions of resumptivity in the anticipatory genitive in example
(67):
(65) Erßemma 88: 18-19 (Cohen 1981, 84; Woods 2001, 92)
er 2 im.me [ Topic er 2.bi] gig.ga.kam ßir 3 im.me [ Topic ßir 3.bi] gig.ga.kam
I weep. As for the tears, they are bitter. I sing. As for the song, it is bitter.
(66) Gudea, Cyl. A 9:25-26 [ETCSL 2.1.7] (Zólyomi 1993, 133)
[ Topic igi ˙uß.a.œu 10] kur.re nu.um.il 2
As for my terrible look, no country can bear it.
(67) Gudea, Cyl. A 5:4 [ETCSL 2.1.7] (Zólyomi 1993, 35)
[ Topic e 2.a œiß.˙ur.bi] im.œa 2.œa 2
As for the plan of the temple, he was setting it out.
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