Home PageChapter 26 - The Focus Markers

 Generalities: 

  • Focalizing pronouns are pronouns that, depending on their position, allow for highlighting a specific part of the sentence, either a noun or nominal group complement, or in some cases the subject itself.
  • There are 3 basic focalizing pronouns: WAXA; BAA; AYAA.
  • They do not have a direct equivalent in French, except perhaps by using the formulation "c'est... que" (it's... that).
  • Only one focalizer can be used per sentence.
  • Depending on its position, the focalizer can bring about changes to the noun, the subject pronoun, and even the verb!
  • Before studying their different uses, let's look at the different forms they take when they associate with subject pronouns.

Table of Focalizing Pronouns with Subject Persons
French Waxa Baa Ayaa
+ I wáxaan báan ayáan
+ you (singular) wáxaad báad ayáad
+ he wúxuu búu ayúu
+ she wáxay báy ayáy
+ we (inclusive) wáxaynu báynu ayáynu
+ we (exclusive) wáxaannu báannu ayáannu
+ you (plural) wáxaydin báydin ayáydin
+ they wáxay báy ayáy


 The Focalizer WAXA: 


 1. Focusing on the complement: 


The focalizer WAXA always comes BEFORE the verb.

This focalizer takes the place of the simple subject pronoun and allows for "announcing" that the verb is followed by a complement in the sentence.

Examples:

Let's compare simple sentences without a complement and sentences with a complement:

1a. Waan cunayaa. I eat. (without complement)
1b. Waxaan cunayaa bariis. I eat rice. (with complement)
 
2a. Cali wuu cabayaa. Ali drinks. (without complement)
2b. Ali wuxuu cabayaa shaah. Ali drinks tea. (with complement)
 
3a. Casha way akhriyaisaa. Aïcha is reading. (without complement)
3b. Casha waxay akhriyaisaa buugga. Aïcha is reading the book. (with complement)
 
4a. Ardeydu way yimaaddeen. The students have returned. (without complement)
4b. Ardeydu waxay ka yimaaddeen dugsiga. The students have returned from school. (with complement)


 2. Focus on the subject: 


The following changes are observed:

  • The subject noun is referred to at the end of the sentence;
  • The subject noun is not in the nominative case but in the absolutive case;
  • The focus marker is in its simple form, not associated with subject persons;
  • A reduced form of the verb is used.

Examples:

1. Midhaha Waxa cuna shimbiraha. The birds eat the grains. (The birds do eat the grains)
 
2. Warqaddii Waxa qortay Casha. Aïcha wrote the letter. (Aïcha did write the letter)
 
3. Awrta Waxa daajinayaa Maxamad. Mohamed took the cames to graze. (Mohamed did take the camels to graze)


 Focalizers BAA and AYAA: 


 1. Focus on the complement: 


  • The focalizers BAA and AYAA are interchangeable: they are used in the same way and there is no difference in meaning between them!
  • Position: the focalizer BAA or AYAA immediately follows the noun or nominal phrase it focuses on.
  • We use the focalizers BAA and AYAA when the complement precedes the verb: they somewhat replace WAXAA when the complement has already been given in the sentence.

Examples:

Let's compare sentences where the complement comes at the end of the sentence and sentences where the complement is given before the verb:

1a. Gabadhu waxay cuntay bariiska. The girl ate rice.
1b. Gabadhu bariiska bay cuntay The girl ate rice.
or: Gabadhu bariiska ayay cuntay It's rice that the girl ate.
 
2a. Innanku wuxuu jabiyay koobka. The boy broke the cup.
2b. Innanku koobka buu jabiyay. The boy broke the cup.
or: Innanku koobka ayuu jabiyay. It's the cup that the boy broke.
 
3a. Nimmanku waxay ka baxeen guriga. The men left the house.
3b. Nimmanku guriga bay ka baxeen. The men left the house.
or: Nimmanku guriga ayay ka baxeen. The men left the house.
 
4a. Waxaan maqlayaa heesta shimbirka. I hear bird song.
4b. Heesta shimbirka baan maqlayaa. I hear bird song.
or: Heesta shimbirka ayaan maqlayaa. It's bird song that I hear.


 2. Focus on the subject: 


Several changes are observed:

  • The subject noun is at the beginning of the sentence;
  • The subject noun is not in the subject case but in the absolute case;
  • The verb is shifted to the end of the sentence, after the complement;
  • The focalizer is in its simple form, not associated with subject pronouns;
  • A reduced form of the verb is used.

Examples:

1. Gabadha baa bariiska cuntay. The girl ate the rice.
 
2. Innanka ayaa koobka jabiyay. The boy broke the cup.
 
3. Nimmanka baa guriga ka baxay. The men left the house.


 Question with the Focalizer BAA: 


An intriguing case, encountered in the book AF-Soommaali, Book 1, 1985, intended for Somali schoolchildren:



Why: "Kani ma Cali baa?" (= Is it Ali?) and "Tani ma Aminaa?" (= Is it Amina?)?
Why "baa" in questions about boys, and not in questions about girls? Discrimination?

Actually, no! This is a phonetic phenomenon: Amina + baa -> Aminaa!

Thus, if we ask the question with a girl's name ending in a consonant, we find "baa": "Kani ma Kausar baa?" (= Is it Kausar?); "Kani ma Habon baa?" (= Is it Habon?).






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