"topic-prominent language"の定義と意味

What is a "topic-prominent language"?

A topic-prominent language is a type of language that places emphasis on the topic of a sentence rather than strictly following the subject-verb-object order typical of many other languages. In these languages, the topic often comes before the verb, and the focus is on what the sentence is about, which may or may not align with the grammatical subject. For example, in a sentence like "As for the book, I read it yesterday," "the book" is the topic, and the sentence discusses it. Languages like Japanese and Korean are well-known examples of topic-prominent languages. In these languages, particles or markers may indicate the topic, making it clear what the speaker is focusing on. This structure allows for greater flexibility in sentence formation and highlights the information that the speaker wants to convey.