Biloxi Realis and Irrealis Particles

Abstract

Realis and irrealis expressions are modal or pragmatic in nature. Realis and irrealis particles reflect “the grammaticization of speakers‟ (subjective) attitudes and opinions” (Bybee et al. 1994: 176). They reflect a speaker‟s attitude or level of certainty about the likelihood of a particular, usually past or future, action or occurrence. Among Indo-European languages, heavy focus is placed on grammar and syntax. However, in Siouan and other Native American languages, greater speaker-centered modal usage requires more focus on pragmatics and discourse. In this paper, I compare the use of two Biloxi (ISO 639-3 bll) particles and explore what their use tells us about Biloxi discourse and pragmatics. I examine various uses of these particles as they appear in Biloxi narratives. Biloxi is a dormant Siouan language, a member of the Ohio Valley branch of the Siouan language family.