Polar questions: intonation only
- Category
- Simple Clauses - Interrogatives
- Notes
- Yes/no questions distinguished from declaratives by intonation only
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Languages
| Language | Feature Status | Grammatical Notes | Source | Etymology Notes | General Notes | Phylogenetic Code |
|---|
Language | Feature Status | Grammatical Notes | Source | Etymology Notes | General Notes | Phylogenetic Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Achagua | yes | Wilson & Levinsohn 1992: 121 | ||||
| Aché | no info | |||||
| Adnyamathanha | ||||||
| Aghu-Tharnggala | Yes | 168 | 1 | |||
| Aguaruna | no | Overall 2007:476-8 | ||||
| Alyawarr | yes | 127 | 1 | |||
| Andoke | no | Landaburu 1979: 149 | ||||
| Apurinã | yes | Facundes, 2000: 536 | ||||
| Arabana | no info | x | ||||
| Arrernte | No | 301 | 0 | |||
| Asheninka Apurucayali | no | Payne 1982:20 | ||||
| Añun | yes | Patte 1989:103 | ||||
| Bandjalang | yes | 133 | 1 | |||
| Baniwa | no | Ramirez 2001 | ||||
| Barasano | no | Jones & Jones 1991, p.124 | The first person imperatives may function as questions when they occur with rising intonation. | |||
| Bardi | yes | 1 | ||||
| Bare | yes | Aikhenvald, 1995: 46 | ||||
| Batyala | no info | x | ||||
| Baure | yes | "Polar questions can only be distinguished from declarative clauses by the rising intonation at the end of the clause." | Danielsen 2007: p370 | |||
| Bidjara-Gungabula | yes | 46 | 1 | |||
| Bilinarra | yes | 6.1.2.9 | 1 | |||
| Biri | yes | 56 | 1 | |||
| Bora | no | Seifart - 2005:69 | ||||
| Bularnu | no | 95 | 0 | |||
| Bunuba | no info | x | ||||
| Cabecar | no | Bourland 1976:86 | ||||
| Cahuilla | yes | |||||
| Central Aymara | yes | Huayhua Pari 2001: 296 | These kinds of yes/no questions express the same thing as what the phrase "I wonder" does in English. They're called confirmative interrogatives by my source. | |||
| Chemehuevi | no | |||||
| Comanche | no | |||||
| Cubeo | no | Morse & Maxwell 1999, p. 20 | ||||
| Cupeño | yes | |||||
| Damana | no | Williams 1993:118-9 | ||||
| Darkinyung | maybe | 53 | 1 | |||
| Desano | no | Miller 1999, p. 8 | ||||
| Dharawal | maybe | 59 | 1 | |||
| Dharuk | ||||||
| Diyari | yes | 151 | 1 | |||
| Djabugay | ||||||
| Djapu | yes | 140-1 | 1 | |||
| Djinang | No | 159 | 0 | |||
| Duungidjawu | yes | 108 | 1 | |||
| Dyirbal | No | 122 | 0 | |||
| Dâw | no | Martins 2004 | ||||
| Eñepa | no | Payne 2012:371-388 | ||||
| Gabrielino | no | |||||
| Garrwa | yes | 78-80 | 1 | |||
| Githabul | No | 45 | 0 | |||
| Gooniyandi | no info | x | ||||
| Guaymí | no info | |||||
| Gugu-Badhun | yes | 152 | 1 | |||
| Gumbaynggirr | no | 332 | 0 | |||
| Guna | yes | Smith texts | ||||
| Gunya | No | 339 | 0 | |||
| Gupapuyngu | ||||||
| Gureng Gureng | no info | x | ||||
| Guugu-Yimidhirr | yes | 111, 143 | 1 | |||
| Hunter River and Lake Macquarie | no | 99 | 0 | |||
| Hup | no | Epps 2008 | ||||
| Idaho Shoshone | no | |||||
| Ika | no | Frank 1990:6 | ||||
| Ingá | no | Levinson 1972:260-1 | ||||
| Jaru | no info | x | ||||
| Jingulu | yes | 1 | ||||
| Kaingang | no info | Silva 2011 | ||||
| Kakua | no | Bolaños fieldnotes | ||||
| Kalkatungu | yes | 105 | 1 | |||
| Karajarri | No | 278 | 0 | |||
| Karitiana | no | Everett 2006:322:3 | ||||
| Katthang | no | 100 | 0 | |||
| Kaurna | No info | x | ||||
| Kawaiisu | yes | |||||
| Kinikinau | yes | Souza 2008:130 | ||||
| Kitanemuk | no | |||||
| Kogi | no info | |||||
| Kokama | no | Vallejos 2010:537 | ||||
| Kokatha | Yes | 67 | 1 | |||
| Koreguaje | no | Cook & Criswell 1993, p.56 | ||||
| Kotiria | no | Stenzel 2004, p. 381 | ||||
| Kugu-Nganhcara | yes | 436 | 1 | |||
| Kuku Yalanji | yes | 195 | 1 | |||
| Kunjen | No | 58 | 0 | |||
| Kurrama | yes | 215 | 1 | |||
| Kuuk Thaayorre | Yes | 482 | 1 | |||
| Luiseño | no | |||||
| Macaguan | no | Intonation is an indication, just not the only one. | Buenaventura - 1993:45 | |||
| Maipure | no | Zamponi 2003:52 | ||||
| Makiritare | no | rising intonation for polar questions is optional | Hall 1988: 344 | |||
| Makuna | no | Smothermon & Smothermon 1993, p.61 | ||||
| Makushi | yes | Polar questions do not have any overt marking other than the intonation. The word order remains the same for declarative clauses. | Abbott 1991: 46 | |||
| Mapudungun | no | Apart from intonation, there may be some question marking | Zúñiga 2006, p. 253-61 | |||
| Marrgany | No | 339 | 0 | |||
| Martuthunira | yes | 236 | 1 | |||
| Mathi-Mathi | no info | x | ||||
| Matses | yes | Fleck:983 | ||||
| Mayi-Yapi | yes | 70 | 1 | |||
| Minica Witoto | yes | Minor and Minor 1982. p.69 | ||||
| Mpakwithi | ||||||
| Muruwari | yes | 209 | 1 | |||
| Nadëb/Roçado dialect | yes | Weir 1984:108 | ||||
| Nanti | yes | Michael, 2008. p. 389-390 | ||||
| Narungga | Yes | 92 | 1 | |||
| Naso | no | Quesada 2000 | ||||
| Ngaatjatjara | yes | 22 | 1 | |||
| Ngarinyeri | No | 51 | 0 | |||
| Ngarinyin | ||||||
| Ngayawang | No info | x | ||||
| Ngiyambaa | no | 259 | 0 | |||
| Nhanta | yes | 135 | 1 | |||
| Nheengatu | no | Cruz 2011 | ||||
| Ninam | no | Goodwin-Gomez, p.62 | ||||
| Northern Emberá | no | Intonation is used along the polar interrogative suffix | Mortensen 1999:13 | Catío | ||
| Northern Paiute | no | |||||
| Nyangumarta | yes | 1 | ||||
| Nyikina | no | 0 | ||||
| Nyulnyul | no | 0 | ||||
| Nyungar | no info | x | ||||
| Paakantyi | no info | X | ||||
| Palikur | no | Green and Green 1972:19 | ||||
| Panyjima | yes | 203 | 1 | |||
| Paraguayan Guaraní | no | Ayala 1996:37-8 | ||||
| Paresi | no | Brandão 2010:13 | ||||
| Pemon | no | de Armellada 1999: 143 to 149 | ||||
| Piapoco | yes | Galindo, 2002: 271 | ||||
| Pintupi | yes | 196-197 | 1 | |||
| Pitjantjatjara | Yes | Y 10 | 1 | |||
| Pitta-Pitta | No info | x | ||||
| Puinave | no | Giron 2008: p391-392 | ||||
| Páez | yes | Jung:183-4 | ||||
| Quechua Ayacuchano | no | However, intonation can be used along with the quesiton clitic but intonation is not required | Parker 1965:92-94 | |||
| Resígaro | no | Polar questions use an interrogative particle. | Allin, 1976: 345-346 | |||
| Ritharrngu | Yes | 56 | 1 | |||
| Sanumá | no | intonation is identical to declarative intonation. Only difference is the lack of the sentence-final glottal stop found in declaratives | Borgman 1990: 66 | |||
| Serrano | no | |||||
| Shoshone | no | |||||
| Sikuani | yes | de Kondo (Vol.1,2) - 1985; Queixalós - 2000 | ||||
| Siona | no | However, polar questions always have lower tone along with the interrogative particle. | Wheeler - 1987:160 | |||
| Southern Paiute | no | |||||
| Southern Ute | no | |||||
| Surui | no info | |||||
| Tanimuca | no | Strom 1992, p.141 | Typically the intonation of a question rises slightly at the end. | |||
| Tariana | no | Aikhenvald, 2003: 502 | ||||
| Thanggati | yes | 71-3 | 1 | |||
| Tharrkari | Yes | 5 | 1 | |||
| Tikuna | no | Montes 2004b:154 | ||||
| Timbisha | no | |||||
| Tukano | no | intonation is used, but in addition to -ti marking | Ramirez 1997: 143 | |||
| Uradhi | No info | 381-5 | x | |||
| Urarina | yes | A rise on the intonation can be perceived | Olawsky:831 | |||
| Wajarri | Yes | 137 | 1 | |||
| Wakaya | yes | 108 | 1 | |||
| Walmajarri | no | 0 | ||||
| Wambaya | yes | 1 | ||||
| Wangkumara | yes | 46 | 1 | |||
| Waorani | no | Orr et all. 1991:21 | But intonation does distinguish most of these sentences | |||
| Wapishana | yes | Santos 2006 | ||||
| Warlpiri | no info | 0 | ||||
| Warluwarra | no | 871 | 0 | |||
| Warnman | No | 54 | 0 | |||
| Warrgamay | Yes | 83 | 1 | |||
| Warrwa | no | 0 | ||||
| Warumungu | yes | 56 | 1 | |||
| Warungu | yes | 2 | 1 | |||
| Wathawurrung | no | 84 | 0 | |||
| Waunana | yes | Sánchez and Castro 1977:65 | ||||
| Wayuu | yes | In the text in Mansen and Mansen (1979), polar questions follow the normal Guajiro VSO order. | Mansen & Mansen (1979). | |||
| Wemba-Wemba | no | H 54 | 0 | |||
| Western Mono | no | |||||
| WesternTorres | no | FO 128 | 0 | |||
| Wiradjuri | no info | x | ||||
| Wirangu | No | 150 | 0 | |||
| Woiwurrung | no info | x | ||||
| Worrorra | no info | X | ||||
| Yagua | no | Payne and Payne 1990 | ||||
| Yalarnnga | no info | 57 | x | |||
| Yan-nhangu | ||||||
| Yandruwandha | yes | 67 | 1 | |||
| Yanesha' | yes | Duff-Tripp 1997:183-4 | ||||
| Yanomami | yes | Ramirez 1994: 219 | ||||
| Yanyuwa | yes | 23 | 1 | |||
| Yavitero | yes | Mosonyi, 1987: p. 64 | ||||
| Yawuru | ||||||
| Yidiny | yes | 1 | ||||
| Yindjibarndi | yes | 163 | 1 | |||
| Yindjilindji | no | 504 | 0 | |||
| Yine | no | negative particle | Matteson 1965 | |||
| Yingkarta | yes | 1 | ||||
| Yir Yoront | ||||||
| Yorta Yorta | maybe | 78, 106 | 1 | |||
| Yugambeh | ||||||
| Yukuna | no | Shauer and Shauer, 1978: 18 | ||||
| Yulparija | Yes | 44 | 1 | |||
| Yuwaalaraay | Yes | 59 | 1 |
| Language |
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