103 Polar questions

This feature is described more fully in chapter 103.

Summary

This feature (based on WALS feature 116, by Matthew S. Dryer) concerns the way in which polar questions (also called yes-no questions) are coded. The most common coding types are intonational coding and segmental coding (by a particle or by an affix on the verb). In addition to segmental and intonational marking, polar questions may be marked by special word order (as in English) and by an A-not-A pattern (as in Mandarin Chinese). "Only interrogative intonation" means that a polar differs from a declarative sentence only by intonation.

Authors

Martin Haspelmath and the APiCS Consortium

Values

exclshrdall
Only interrogative intonation353671
Interrogative word order134
Initial question particle11314
Final question particle22022
Question particle in other position077
Interrogative verb morphology101
A-not-A question022
Representation:76

Language Value Lexifier Details Source
Id Primary text Analyzed text Gloss Translation Type Language Audio Details