19.1243, Qs: Subject/Object Asymmetry in wh- Questions

LINGUIST Network linguist at LINGUISTLIST.ORG
Sun Apr 13 00:15:07 UTC 2008


LINGUIST List: Vol-19-1243. Sat Apr 12 2008. ISSN: 1068 - 4875.

Subject: 19.1243, Qs: Subject/Object Asymmetry in wh- Questions

Moderators: Anthony Aristar, Eastern Michigan U <aristar at linguistlist.org>
            Helen Aristar-Dry, Eastern Michigan U <hdry at linguistlist.org>
 
Reviews: Randall Eggert, U of Utah  
         <reviews at linguistlist.org> 

Homepage: http://linguistlist.org/

The LINGUIST List is funded by Eastern Michigan University, 
and donations from subscribers and publishers.

Editor for this issue: Catherine Adams <catherin at linguistlist.org>
================================================================  

We'd like to remind readers that the responses to queries are usually
best posted to the individual asking the question. That individual is
then strongly encouraged to post a summary to the list. This policy was
instituted to help control the huge volume of mail on LINGUIST; so we
would appreciate your cooperating with it whenever it seems appropriate.

In addition to posting a summary, we'd like to remind people that it
is usually a good idea to personally thank those individuals who have
taken the trouble to respond to the query.

To post to LINGUIST, use our convenient web form at
http://linguistlist.org/LL/posttolinguist.html.

===========================Directory==============================  

1)
Date: 05-Apr-2008
From: janet randall < randall at neu.edu >
Subject: Subject/Object Asymmetry in wh- Questions

 

	
-------------------------Message 1 ---------------------------------- 
Date: Sat, 12 Apr 2008 20:13:51
From: janet randall [randall at neu.edu]
Subject: Subject/Object Asymmetry in wh- Questions
E-mail this message to a friend:
http://linguistlist.org/issues/emailmessage/verification.cfm?iss=19-1243.html&submissionid=174361&topicid=8&msgnumber=1  


The object/subject wh-questions in (1) and (2) show an asymmetry in whether
they require do-support. Do is required in the object questions but it's
odd in the subject questions.

1. a. [What] did John find [t]?
    b. *[What] found John [t]? 
2. a. *[Who] did [t] find a hat?
    b. [Who] [t] found a hat?

Can anyone recommend a simple account of this for beginning undergraduates? 

Linguistic Field(s): Syntax






-----------------------------------------------------------
LINGUIST List: Vol-19-1243	

	



More information about the LINGUIST mailing list