Focus Construction in Kurdish

This study aims to investigate the focus construction and its markers in Kalhori Kurdish. It should be noted that focus is shown with phonetic, morphologic or syntactic markers in different languages. The data were collected through observation and interview with Kalhori Kurdish speakers in Kermanshah. The findings showed that the focus markers in Kalhori Kurdish include /ke/ and /xo/ used in the same sense. Moreover, it was found that although these two focus markers have the same meaning, their usage varies in different declarative, imperative, interrogative (yes/no questions & wh-questions) and exclamatory sentences. However, in exclamatory sentences the speakers use none of these two markers to show emphasis. The results indicated that although the speakers use both focus markers in declaratives and yes/no questions, /ke/ is simply used in imperatives and wh-questions. Also, the research findings showed that /ke/, as a focus marker, is used less than /xo/.