Embedded Questions in Meskwaki:

2019 ◽  
pp. 69-86
Author(s):  
Amy Dahlstrom
Keyword(s):  
Embedded Questions

Revisiting unselected embedded questions in the light of Classical Greek wh-clauses

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-230
Author(s):  
Richard Faure
Keyword(s):  
Polarity Sensitivity ◽  
Embedded Questions ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
New Evidence

Abstract This paper addresses the issue of the questions embedded under predicates normally selecting for propositions like know (unselected embedded questions UEQ). This problem was handled in Adger and Quer (Adger, David & Josep Quer. 2001. The syntax and semantics of unselected embedded questions. Language 77. 107–133) and Öhl (Öhl, Peter. 2007. Unselected embedded interrogatives in German and English : S-selection as dependency formation. Linguistische Berichte 212. 403–438). Both articles notice a difference between yes/no- and wh-questions. The distribution of the latter seems to be less restricted. However data from Classical Greek shed new light on the matter. Classical Greek uses two sets of wh-items in what looks like embedded questions (h- and t-). It is shown that h-clauses do not denote questions but propositions. The selection mismatch arises with t-clauses. They denote questions and have the same distribution as yes/no-questions. Moreover Classical Greek provides new evidence in favor of 1) the sensitivity of the UEQ to the polarity of the environment, building on Giannakidou’s (Giannakidou, Anastasia. 1998. Polarity sensitivity as (non) veridical dependency. Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins) definition of nonveridicality; 2) the presence of a determiner on top of the UEQ as proposed in Adger and Quer (2001). The article argues nevertheless that the sensitivity is not due to the determiner, but to an operator going along with UEQs. It is shown that the determiner is a type-shifter turning the question into a proposition and thus repairing the apparent selection mismatch.

scholarly journals L2 transfer of L1 island-insensitivity: The case of Norwegian

2020 ◽  
pp. 026765832095670 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dave Kush ◽  
Anne Dahl
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
First Language ◽  
Functional Structure ◽  
Positive Evidence ◽  
Embedded Questions ◽  
Acceptability Judgment

Norwegian allows filler-gap dependencies into embedded questions, which are islands for filler-gap dependency formation in English. We ask whether there is evidence that Norwegian learners of English transfer the functional structure that permits island violations from their first language (L1) to their second language (L2). In two acceptability judgment studies, we find that Norwegians are more likely to accept ‘island-violating’ filler-gap dependencies in L2 English if the corresponding filler-gap dependency is acceptable in Norwegian: Norwegian learners variably accept English sentences with dependencies into embedded questions, but not into subject phrases. These results are consistent with models that permit transfer of abstract functional structure. Norwegians are still less likely to accept filler-gap dependencies into English embedded questions than Norwegian embedded questions. We interpret the latter finding as evidence that, despite transfer, Norwegian speakers may partially restructure their L2 English analysis. We discuss how indirect positive evidence may play a role in helping learners restructure.

scholarly journals From maximality to bias: Biased A-not-A questions in Mandarin Chinese

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
pp. 355
Author(s):  
Shumian Ye
Keyword(s):  
Mandarin Chinese ◽  
Complete Answer ◽  
Embedded Questions ◽  
Question Under Discussion ◽  
Focus Strategy ◽  
Epistemic Bias

This study aims to derive the epistemic bias in shi-bu-shi questions, a type of A-not-A question in Mandarin Chinese. I propose: (i) the focus marker shi presupposes that its prejacent is a possible complete answer to the current Question Under Discussion (QUD); (ii) accordingly, shi-bu-shi questions are presupposed to be part of the Focus-strategy of inquiry; (iii) the Focus-strategy of inquiry indicates the questioner's intention to close the current QUD as soon as possible, and to achieve this goal, the questioner should check the answer that she considers most likely to be true. By assuming such completeness-to-likelihood reasoning, a novel link between focus in polar questions and question bias is established. The ramifications of this proposal for related phenomena (e.g., bias in embedded questions, evidential bias) are then discussed.

The Efficacy of Input-Based Instruction in Promoting the Acquisition of English Embedded Questions

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 266-281
Author(s):  
Manoochehr Jafarigohar ◽  
Fatemeh Hemmati ◽  
Hassan Soleimani ◽  
Mehri Jalali
Keyword(s):  
Embedded Questions ◽  
Based Instruction
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