Polar questions: word order

Category
Simple Clauses - Interrogatives
Notes
Yes/no questions distinguished from declaratives by word order (esp. subject-verb inversion)

Languages

Language Feature Status Grammatical Notes Source Etymology Notes General Notes Phylogenetic Code
Cahuilla no
Cupeño no
Luiseño no
Serrano no
Kitanemuk no
Kawaiisu no
Timbisha no
Western Mono no
Chemehuevi no
Southern Paiute no
Southern Ute no
Shoshone no
Comanche no
Idaho Shoshone no
Northern Paiute no
Gabrielino no
Achagua no Wilson & Levinsohn 1992: 121
Resígaro no Polar ("corroborative") questions use the same stucture as a basic clause, plus a preposed interrogative particle. Allin, 1976: 345-346
Bare no Aikhenvald, 1995: 46
Piapoco no Galindo, 2002: 271
Yukuna no Shauer and Shauer, 1978: 18
Yavitero no Mosonyi, 1987: p. 64
Wapishana no Santos 2006
Wayuu no In the text in Mansen and Mansen (1979), polar questions follow the normal Guajiro VSO order. Mansen, Richard and Karis Mansen. (1979). Couyatalima: Texto de Guajiro. In Estudios de Guajiro, Ruth Monterroso (ed.). Lomalinda, Colombia: ILV
Tariana no Aikhenvald, 2003: 502
Apurinã no Facundes, 2000: 536
Asheninka Apurucayali no Payne 1982:20
Maipure no Zamponi 2003:52
Yanesha' no However, yes-no questions usually occur as negative sentences Duff-Tripp 1997:183-4
Kinikinau no Souza 2008:130
Baure no Danielsen 2007: p370
Nanti no NP distribution in polar interrogatives is reduced, but not to the extent that they unambiguously identify an interrogative. Michael, 2008. p. 389-390
Paresi no Brandão 2010:13
Palikur no Green and Green 1972:19
Yine no Matteson 1965
Añun no Patte 1989
Bora no Seifart - 2005:69
Makiritare no Hall 1988: 344
Makushi no Polar questions do not have any overt marking other than the intonation. The word order remains the same for declarative clauses. Abbott 1991: 46
Eñepa no Payne 2012:371-388
Pemon no de Armellada 1999:143/49 145
Guna no Smith texts
Naso no info Quesada 2000
Ika no Frank 1990:6
Kogi no info
Cabecar no Bourland 1976:86
Guaymí no info
Damana no Williams 1993:118-9
Sikuani no de Kondo (Vol.1,2) - 1985; Queixalós - 2000
Macaguan no Buenaventura - 1993:45
Aguaruna no Overall 2007:476-8
Northern Emberá no Mortensen 1999:13 Catío
Waorani no Orr et all. 1991:21
Ingá no Levinson 1972:260-4
Matses no Fleck:983-5
Mapudungun no Zúñiga 2006, p. 253-61
Páez no Jung:183-4
Quechua Ayacuchano no Parker 1965:92-94
Tikuna no Montes 2004b:154
Urarina no Olawsky:831
Waunana no Sánchez and Castro 1977:65
Andoke no Landaburu 1979: 149
Puinave no Giron 2008: p335, 391-392
Central Aymara no Huayhua Pari 2001: 296
Kakua no Bolaños fieldnotes
Kaingang no info Silva 2011
Minica Witoto no Minor and Minor 1982. p.69
Hup yes Epps 2008
Nadëb/Roçado dialect no Weir 1984
Dâw yes Martins 2004
Desano no Miller 1999, p. 8
Cubeo no Morse & Maxwell 1999, p. 20
Kotiria no Stenzel 2004, p. 381
Makuna no Smothermon & Smothermon 1993, p.61
Koreguaje no Cook & Criswell 1993, p.56
Barasano no Jones & Jones 1991, p.115
Tanimuca no Strom 1992, p.141
Siona no Wheeler - 1987:160
Tukano no Ramirez 1997: 143
Yanomami no Ramirez 1994: 219
Ninam no Goodwin-Gomez, p.62
Sanumá no Only difference is the lack of the sentence-final glottal stop found in declaratives Borgman 1990: 72-73
Surui no info
Karitiana no Everett 2006:322:3
Nheengatu yes Cruz 2011
Paraguayan Guaraní no Ayala 1996:37-8
Aché no info
Kokama yes Vallejos 2010:537
Nyangumarta no 0
Jingulu no 0
Wambaya no 0
Bunuba no info x
Walmajarri no 0
Nyulnyul no 0
Warrwa no 0
Worrorra no info X
Garrwa no? 78 0
Gooniyandi no info x
Warlpiri no LG52 0
Bardi yes 1
Yugambeh
Yorta Yorta no 78, 106 0
Yir Yoront
Yindjibarndi no 163 0
Yidiny no 0
Yanyuwa no 0
Yandruwandha no 67 0
Yan-nhangu
Yalarnnga no info 57 x
Woiwurrung no info x
Wirangu No 150 0
Wemba-Wemba yes H 54 1
Warumungu No 56 0
Wangkumara yes 46 1
Uradhi No info 381-4 x
Paakantyi no info X
Pitta-Pitta No info x
Pintupi no 0
Nyungar no info x
Nhanta no 135 0
Ngiyambaa no 259 0
Ngayawang No info x
Muruwari no 209 0
Mpakwithi
Mayi-Yapi No 70 0
Martuthunira no 236 0
Marrgany No 339 0
Kuuk Thaayorre No 482 0
Kuku Yalanji no 195 0
Kugu-Nganhcara No 436 0
Kaurna No info x
Kalkatungu no 105 0
Jaru no info x
Guugu-Yimidhirr No 111, 143 0
Gureng Gureng no info x
Gupapuyngu
Gumbaynggirr no 332 0
Gugu-Badhun no 152 0
Yuwaalaraay No 59 0
Dyirbal No 122 0
Duungidjawu no 108 0
Djinang No 159 0
Djabugay
Diyari no 151 0
Dharuk
Dharawal no 58-59 0
Darkinyung no 53 0
Bularnu no 95 0
Biri no 56 0
Bidjara-Gungabula no 46 0
Batyala no info x
Arabana no info x
Alyawarr no 127 0
Nyikina no 0
Yawuru
Ngarinyin
Yulparija No 44 0
Wathawurrung no 84 0
Mathi-Mathi no info x
Hunter River and Lake Macquarie no 99 0
Thanggati no 71-3 0
Katthang no 100 0
Panyjima no 203 0
Ngarinyeri No 51 0
Kurrama no 215-217 0
Yingkarta no 0
Githabul No 45 0
Gunya No 339 0
Kunjen No 58 0
WesternTorres no FO 128 0
Wakaya no 0
Yindjilindji no 504 0
Bandjalang No 133 0
Ngaatjatjara No 23 0
Arrernte No 301 0
Kokatha No 67 0
Karajarri No 278 0
Pitjantjatjara No Y 10 0
Ritharrngu No 56 0
Warrgamay No 83 0
Warluwarra yes 871 1
Warnman No 54 0
Djapu no 140-1 0
Bilinarra no 0
Wiradjuri no info x
Aghu-Tharnggala No 168 0
Narungga No 92 0
Tharrkari No 5 0
Wajarri No 137 0
Warungu no 2 0
Adnyamathanha
Yagua no Payne and Payne 1990
Baniwa no Ramirez 2001