Sentence Final Particles in Bisu Narrative

Abstract

This dissertation seeks to understand the inner workings of sentence final particles in the Bisu language of Northern Thailand. Thirteen written folktales, six expository texts, and three life histories are examinated in an effort to determine the factors influencing particle usage. Variables including place in the discourse, relative transitivity, sentence complexity, occurrence (or non-occurrence) in quotations, and evidential perspective are addressed in the context of individual particles and their host sentences.