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Interpretational Differences in Conjoined Wh-questions: English vs. Korean/Chinese/Japanese

  • Journal of Humanities
  • 2007, (40), pp.245-263
  • Publisher : Institute for Humanities
  • Research Area : Humanities > Other Humanities

Sungeun Cho 1

1성균관대학교

Candidate

ABSTRACT

English-type languages and Korean/Chinese/Japanese-type languages are well-known to differ with respect to the surface position of wh-words in interrogatives. English who must move from its base position to Spec-CP. By contrast, the Korean, Chinese, and Japanese counterparts of who may remain in situ. English and Korean, Chinese/Japanese wh-questions exhibit an associated difference in ATB constructions. English conjoined wh-questions like (1), involving overt ATB movement is ambiguous. (1) Which person does John like and Mary admire? (1) has a preferred reading, on which it asks a single question about a single individual; this "single question reading" is represented in (2a). Alternatively, (1) has a less‑preferred reading, on which it asks a conjunction of questions; the "multiple question reading" is represented in (2b). (2) a. which person x, John likes x and Mary admires x ? (possible answer: "Maxine") b. which person x, John like x and which person y, Mary admires y? (possible answer: "John likes Maxine and Mary admires Alice") Interestingly, the Korean/Chinese/Japanese counterparts of (1), with wh in-situ are not similarly ambiguous. Only multiple question readings are present in-situ cases. Single question readings only occur with fronted wh-phrases. In this paper, we explore the interpretational differences of conjoined wh-questions between two types of languages.

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