Kandybowicz (2008:37)

Kandybowicz établit que la paritule ni: en nupe est une particule de focus:

 "ni: patterns like the focus marker o; it occupies a high position in the left periphery, 
 appears clause finally, and follows negation [...]. 
 Additionally, ni: sentences have polarity focus interpretations, making them amenable to 
 analysis in terms of Foc°. 
 Furthermore, the morphemes ni: and o stand in complementary distribution, as seen below."

(24)

a.

*

Musa

ba

nakàn

ni:

o.

Musa

cut

meat

ni

FOC

'Musa actually cut the meat.'

b.

*

Musa

ba

nakàn

o

ni:.

Musa

cut

meat

FOC

ni

Or, cette particule de focus ni:, contrairement à la particule bez en breton, est compatible avec la négation:

 "[...] the morpheme ni:, whose semantic contribution is to reinforce the polarity 
 of the clause/add emphasis to the asserted truth or falsity of the sentence. 
 The distribution of ni: is similar to the distribution of negation; 
 both appear clause-finally."

(22)	Musa	ba	nakàn	ni:.
	Musa	cut	meat	ni
	'Musa actually cut the meat.'

 "[...] ni: and negation are able to co-occur, suggesting that they do not compete 
 for the same syntactic position. That is, the two morphemes are not in 
 complementary distribution, as shown below:"

(23)	Musa	ba	nakàn	à	ni:.
	Musa	cut	meat	NEG	ni
	'Musa did not actually cut the meat.'

Référence

• Kandybowicz, J. 2008. The Grammar of Repetition, Nupe grammar at the syntax-phonology interface, John Benjamins Publishing Company.