[HOME] [Guideline] [Author] [College of Foreign Languages] [Fu Jen University]
ABSTRACT
This paper compares interrogative sentences of Tsou
and Yami languages, which are spoken by Taiwan aborigines living near Ali
Mountain and on Orchid Island respectively. Their interrogative constructions
are analyzed under the scheme of X-bar theory, and the comparisons of the
interrogatives of the two languages are made under three categories: yes-no
questions, alternative questions, and wh questions. Question words are
further examined and sub-classified as nominal predicates, external or
internal arguments, adjuncts, and verbal predicates. It is found interesting
that both languges don't have a direct lexeme for "which." To express "which"
or "which one," Tsou uses "where" followed by a noun phrase while Yami
employs "who" or "what" followed by "there." Furthermore, I try to
be sure if Tsou and Yami people use double wh-words in their interrogative
sentences, and find that they tend to convert the second question words
into nondefinite NP's. Finally, I detect the possibility of question words
positioned in coordinate structures.