A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE ...

In the stories examined for this thesis, a pattern emerges. Basically, a topic is
introduced which is not accented by idash. Thereafter, all transitions to new topics are
accented by idash. It is the accumulation of these topics which serve in the development
of stories. Once a topic is introduced by idash, however, the sub-topics or support
structures attached to that particular topic usually do not contain any further occurrences
of idash. Events attached to particular topics are usually connected asyndetically, and
coordinated structures, should they occur, are usually coordinated by miinawaa. This
pattern usually occurs until the end of a narrative. This pattern has the structure in (53),
and is illustrated with the example in (54):
(53) idash 48
Topic 1
SUB-TOPICS (background, events, support, elaboration)
Topic 2 idash…
SUB-TOPICS (background, events, support, elaboration)
Topic 3 idash…
SUB-TOPICS (background, events, support, elaboration)…
(54) idash (Kegg 1991:152-153)
TOPIC 1
a) Bezhig igo akiwenzii ingii-wiij’-ayaawaanaan.
one EMPH old man we stayed with
BACKGROUND
b) Ogii-odawemaawinan a’aw mindimooyenh.
she had him as a sibling that old lady
48
The term event is being used broadly here to include such actions such as providing background
information, actual event processes, or elaborations.
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