WH-INTERROGATIVES

Wh-interrogatives contain an element of missing information which is embodied in the wh-word. What the speaker is seeking in this type of interrogative is the identity of that element. The rest is presupposed, that is, taken as given. For instance, What do you want? presupposes that you want something. The wh-word can fill a syntactic function of the clause or be part of a group or phrase.

There is one exception to the Finite-Subject order in wh-interrogative clauses. This is when the wh-element itself functions as subject or as part of a NG at subject:

The functional motivation for the ordering of interrogatives in English is that whatever is questioned comes first. If it is the polarity that is questioned, the finite operator comes first. If it is the identity of an unknown element, a wh-element comes first, followed by the Finite-Subject ordering. If the unknown element is the Subject, that (in the form of a wh-element), comes first.

This means that, basically, the entire interrogative system in English has Finite- Subject ordering, except when the Subject’s identity is itself questioned.

Note that, in some languages, interrogative inversion is that of the Subject and the whole verbal group, as in Spanish ¿Ha llegado Pedro? We must be aware that this variation is ungrammatical in English (*Has arrived Peter?), except with primary verbs (be and have) in simple tenses. Compare: Has Peter a bicycle? is possible, but *Has had Peter lunch? is ungrammatical. Furthermore, certain languages rely on intonation to express a question, using only the declarative form. This is also possible in English but it does not regularly replace the use of the interrogative structures.

The following dialogue between two friends illustrates declarative clauses and the two main interrogative types. Finite elements are italicized:

So what did you do at the weekend, Janet?

Well, Jeff and I went off to Whitby to visit our in-laws. We took the dog with us and we all ended up having a walk along the beach.

Can you walk right along the cliffs to Robin Hood’s Bay?

I think you probably could do, but it’s quite dangerous. You can get through occasionally when the tide’s out, but it doesn’t stay out for very long and you can get caught.

(authors’ data)

The combination of a wh-interrogative word with -ever acts as an intensifier expressing the surprise, perplexity or disbelief of the speaker. Why ever is often spelt as two words, the other items as either one or two:

Whoever would believe such a story?

Wherever did you hear that?

Why ever didn’t he let us know he was coming?

Alternatively, wh-interrogative words can be intensified informally by certain lexical items which include on earth, in the world, and other more marked colloquialisms including semi-taboo words, such as the devil, the hell.

Why on earth didn’t you get in touch?

اخر الاخبار

اخبار العتبة العباسية المقدسة

استعدادًا لانطلاق الفعاليات.. وصول المشاركات في مسابقة بصائر العلم الوطنية إلى مجمع الشيخ الكليني

قسم الشؤون الدينية يستذكر فضائل يوم دحو الأرض عبر محاضراته اليومية

عبر منافذ العتبة العباسية المقدسة.. ممثّلية مواكب محافظتي ديالى وذي قار تشارك بحملة التبرّع للشعبين الإيراني واللبناني

لتوسيعِ آفاقِ الإفادةِ من محتواها.. مركز الشيخ الأنصاري يحدّث الموقع الإلكترونيّ لمجلّة الخزانة

المزيد

الآخبار الصحية

طريقة مبتكرة للكشف المبكر عن أمراض القلب والشرايين

منظمة الصحة تحذر من خطر إدمان الشباب لأكياس النيكوتين

خبراء يحذرون من عادة شائعة تهدد صحة الملايين

خبير يكشف 5 حقائق طبية صادمة وغير معروفة

المزيد

الآخبار التكنلوجية

الأولى في العالم.. الصين تجري تجربة رائدة في الفضاء باستخدام "جنين اصطناعي"

دراسة حديثة تفند ربط التستوستيرون بالمخاطرة لدى الرجال

ميتا تضيف وضع "المحادثة المخفية" إلى تطبيق "واتساب"

فوبيا المرتفعات ليست من الدماغ.. دراسة تكشف السبب

المزيد

مواضيع ذات صلة

The verb in the imperative

THE IMPERATIVE

INVARIANT QUESTION TAGS

DOUBLE INTERROGATIVES: QUESTIONS WITHIN QUESTIONS

ALTERNATIVE INTERROGATIVES

Indirect exclamatives

SAY AND TELL

TRANSITIVE PATTERNS SUMMARY

Current and Resulting Attributes

FRAME, PERSPECTIVE AND ATTENTION

INTRANSITIVE AND COPULAR PATTERNS SUMMARY

SUBJECT AND OBJECT COMPLEMENTS SUMMARY