Topic Marker
A "Topic Marker" is a linguistic element used in various languages to indicate the topic of a sentence. It helps clarify what the sentence is about, often distinguishing the subject from the action or description. In languages like Japanese and Korean, topic markers are typically particles that follow the noun representing the topic, guiding the listener's understanding of the sentence structure.
For example, in Japanese, the particle "は" (wa) serves as a topic marker, signaling that the preceding noun is the main focus of the discussion. This allows speakers to emphasize different aspects of a sentence without changing the overall meaning, making communication more effective and nuanced.