Abstract Mainstream approaches to the typology of reported discourse have been based on the notion of a direct-indirect continuum: reported speech constructions are traditionally analyzed as conforming to or deviating from the “ideals” of European direct and indirect speech. This study argues that continuum-based approaches fail to distinguish between two dimensions of variation that are systematically discriminated in a number of African languages and should therefore be treated separately. First, different constructions can be recruited for speech reporting, ranging from paratactic to subordinate structures. Second, languages differ in the way pronouns in speech reports are interpreted. In European languages two different deictic strategies are associated with different syntactic types of speech report (‘indirect’ and ‘direct’ deixis is correlated with subordination and parataxis, respectively). In Kakabe, we argue, the choice of pronominal values is independent of the construction’s syntax. Dissociating the construction’s structural properties from the behavior of indexicals allows us to describe the Kakabe strategies of speech reporting as well as account for the seemingly puzzling behavior of reported commands. Our data shows that speech reporting strategies of Kakabe should be treated as a type in its own right: a type characterized by loose syntax and flexible pronominal indexicality.

中文翻译：

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Kakabe的演讲报道：语法灵活，索引灵活

摘要报告话语类型学的主流方法是基于直接-间接连续统的概念：传统上分析报告话语结构是与欧洲直接和间接言语的“理想”相一致或相背离。这项研究认为，基于连续统一体的方法无法区分变异的两个维度，而变异是在多种非洲语言中被系统区分的，因此应分开对待。首先，可以募集不同的结构用于语音报告，范围从顺应性到从属结构。其次，语言在语音报告中代词的解释方式上有所不同。在欧洲语言中，两种不同的定向策略与语音报告的不同句法类型相关联（“间接”和“直接”指称分别与从属和顺应性相关）。我们认为，在Kakabe中，代名词值的选择与构造语法无关。将结构的结构特性与索引的行为分离开来，我们可以描述语音报告的Kakabe策略，也可以说明所报告命令的令人费解的行为。我们的数据表明，Kakabe的语音报告策略应被单独视为一种类型：这种类型具有宽松的语法和灵活的代词索引性。代名词值的选择与构造语法无关。将结构的结构特性与索引的行为分离开来，我们可以描述语音报告的Kakabe策略，也可以说明所报告命令的令人费解的行为。我们的数据表明，Kakabe的语音报告策略应被单独视为一种类型：这种类型具有宽松的语法和灵活的代词索引性。代名词值的选择与构造语法无关。将结构的结构特性与索引的行为分离开来，我们可以描述语音报告的Kakabe策略，也可以说明所报告命令的令人费解的行为。我们的数据表明，Kakabe的语音报告策略应被单独视为一种类型：这种类型具有宽松的语法和灵活的代词索引性。