F01
booster
Information structure
Focus
Spotlight / Focus
What is the most important new information?
intermediate
Focus
Emphasis
Cleft
Contrastive focus
Maana
The part of the message that carries the main emphasis, contrast, correction, or answer to the current question.
Jinsi ya kuitambua
Ask which part would be stressed or corrected in context.
Mifano
Maneno
only|even|it was|not X but Y
Virai
it was Anna who|ANNA did it|only Peter
Sentensi
Anna bought the book, not Peter.
Visual guide
Basic shape
Message = background + focus Who bought the book? background: bought the book FOCUS: Anna Anna bought the book. = Anna, not Peter
Compare shape
Same focus, many shapes Stress: ANNA did it Cleft: it was Anna who... Particle: only Peter Contrast: not X but Y Word order/focus slot may mark it Task: find the spotlight
Mtazamo wa lugha
Katika lugha yako ya kwanza
Kiingereza
Uwepo
strong
Umuhimu
English uses stress, cleft sentences, fronting, and context to mark focus.
It was John who called.
John = focused information
Katika lugha unayojifunza
Kihispania
Uwepo
strong
Ugumu
Focus can be shown through stress, word order, clefting, and focus expressions.
Fue Ana quien llamó.
It was Ana who called.
Changamoto ya kawaida kwa wanaojifunza
Learners may miss that changing position or stress changes what is emphasized.
Same block, different coding
Both languages use this block strongly, but they signal it differently. Focus on form changes, not only meaning.