A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE ...

Above the sentence level, miinawaa has a function which largely mirrors its sentence
grammar usage as a coordinator, but works on a more global level in order to coordinate
idea units. It acts as a discourse coordinator, coordinating similar discourse units. As
Schiffrin showed for the English discourse marker and: “the presence of and signals the
speaker’ identification of an upcoming unit which is coordinate in structure to some prior
unit” (Schiffrin 1987:141). This is certainly true for Ojibwe as well. In other words,
when miinawaa occurs, it is coordinating upcoming discourse units with some prior
discourse unit. This is shown in the following example. Note that I have formatted the
sentences containing miinawaa to make its discourse structure more visible.
(32) miinawaa (from Kegg 1991:108-109)
a) Gaawiin awiiya iwidi daa-daasiin imaa wanako-neyaashi.
not someone over there should not live there end of the point
b) Gii-taawag iko iwidi anishinaabeg, ingodogamig.
they lived used to over there Indians one household
c) Bezhig iwidi inini gii-taa, gaa-izhi-nibod.
one over there man he lived there then he died
d) Mii miinawaa gaa-izhi-adaawangewaad oshk’-aya’aag, mii i'iw waakaa’igan,
DP and they then rented young couple DP that house
e) miinawaa iniw oniijaanisan imaa gaa-izhi-nibonid.
and that his/her children there then died
f) Miinawaa imaa aabiding akiwenzii gii-adaawanged miinawaa mindimooyenh.
and there one time old man he rented and old lady
g) Mii miinawaa a’aw akiwenzii gaa-izhi-nibod.
DP and that old man then died
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