Old Shalaian/Syntax: Difference between revisions

Old Shalaian/Syntax (view source)

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 Yes-no questions are answered using preverbs.
 ====Wh-questions====
-The interrogative word always comes first in the sentence. Usually the material after the wh-word becomes a relative clause with the wh-word as the head. The relative clause can be a ''cha''-clause vs. a ''vi''-clause:
+The interrogative word always comes first in the sentence.
+Predicative wh-questions are simpler:
+:''Yaf tee?''
+:who 2SG
+:''Who are you?''
+:''Għaid lōkh tee?''
+:where PST 2SG
+:''Where have you been?''
+Verbal wh-questions are always cleft sentences: The material after the wh-word becomes a relative clause with the wh-word as the head. The relative clause can be a ''cha''-clause vs. a ''vi''-clause:
 :'''''Yan vi tágħti?'''''
 :yan vi ta-għát-i
 :what VI.PRES 2SG.S-see-INF
-:''What do you see?'' (lit. What is it that you see?)
+:''What do you see?'' (lit. What is that which you see?)
-:'''''Yaf għan ro'ch nágħt vikh rṓjter?'''''
+:'''''Yaf għan do'ch agħt vikh rṓjter?'''''
-:yaf għan ro'ch n-għat-0 vikh rōj-ter
+:yaf għan do'ch a-għát-0 vikh rōj-ter
 :who here CHA.NEG.PRES 3SG.A-see-3SG.I VI.PST do.INF-3SG.H
 :''Who here does not see what she (hon.) has done?'' (lit. Who here is it that does not see that which she has done?)