The place of particles among words, morphemes, and phrases in Kubeo

Abstract This article describes the definition of words, morphemes, and phrases in Kubeo, with a critical assessment of particle status. After initially pointing out the methodological difficulties of defining boundaries between words and phrases in this language (as well as the different criteria for differentiating word and morpheme types from structural, functional, and phonological points of view), we approach particles as a class of words which mainly act as pragmatic markers. This understanding is not assumed a priori, but rather is the result of a methodological trajectory which questions the necessity of this descriptive category, carefully demarcating it and differentiating it from other classes of morphemes.