The Lithuanian focus particles net ‘even’ and tik ‘only’ and clause peripheries

Abstract

The present chapter investigates the Lithuanian focus particles net ‘even’ and tik ‘only’ and their potential to occur in clause peripheries. The results of the analysis provide evidence that net and tik have the potential to appear in clause peripheries; however, as peripheral elements, they are not so common in spoken Lithuanian. It is observed that net and tik share a set of functions with focus particles in Germanic as well as Romance languages: in clause peripheries, they contribute to discourse structure and common ground management as well as encode (inter)subjective information. Both Lithuanian particles exhibit language-specific properties too, though: they serve as illocutionary force modifiers not only strengthening the illocutionary force of a speech act but also softening it.