Title: Unique Focus
Subtitle: Languages without multiple wh-questions
Series Title: Linguistik Aktuell/Linguistics Today 123
Published: 2008
Publisher: John Benjamins
http://www.benjamins.com/
Author: Marina Stoyanova
Hardback: ISBN: 9789027255068 Pages: 184 Price: Europe EURO 115.00
Hardback: ISBN: 9789027255068 Pages: 184 Price: U.S. $ 173.00
Abstract:
This monograph focuses on an interesting typological property shared by four languages: the ungrammaticality of multiple wh-questions in Irish, Berber, Italian and Somali. It contains a broad discussion of data related to the grammar of wh-questions, a comparative analysis of wh-constructions in the four languages, and a theoretical account for the observed phenomenon. The analysis is based on the minimalist syntax theory as developed by Chomsky since 1995. It takes up the standard assumption that wh-phrases are typical representatives of elements bearing new information, in theoretical terms referred to as information focus. Most importantly, in the languages without multiple wh-questions the information focus is licensed in a unique syntactic position. The basic claim is that languages with unique focus are languages without multiple wh-questions. The analysis makes possible the classification of the languages without multiple wh-questions into the crosslinguistic typology of wh-constructions. Furthermore, this book is a contribution to the better understanding of information structure in natural languages, especially of focusing phenomena.
Linguistic Field(s):
Linguistic Theories
Syntax
Typology
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