Outlines and overlays

Abstract

In addition to the familiar outline organization of discourse in terms of coördination and subordination, some languages of Brazil and New Guinea (including Pidgin) have an overlay organization. It involves the near repetition of substantial stretches of speech in such a way that the repeated elements are placed in prominence. These languages also use repetition in ways that are distinguishable from overlay organization. The nature of overlays puts into a new context the question of reference in linguistic theory.