The ergative and its differential marking in Mùwe Ké

Abstract This paper showcases the Mùwe Ké ergative - gane / -gadiː , a unit formed from - ga , a particle of specificity, with ablative marker - ne or demonstrative dìː . This is unique in the language family, where ergative - gi is usually found, and it is shown that ‘modern’ - gane has replaced historical - gi in the language, which is still found on pronominals. The functions of - ga and - gane are shown to centre around precise indication, highlighting, and intersubjective focussing of attention. The second half of the paper provides a presentation of the differential use of - gane . Looking at possible differential argument marking triggers, it is shown that only information structure and the notion of focus account for the differential patterns found in the language.