Datapoint Bislama/Interrogative pronouns
(i) hu ‘who’; (ii) wea ‘where’; (iii) (long) wanem taem ‘(at) what time’; (iv) olsem wanem ‘(lit. like what) how’. Some speakers use hao (nao) ‘how’. This was heard in Bislama on Malo (village) in 1995 and in Vila (urban) in 2004. This use of hao is probably widespread.There is variability in the system, which may indicate a change in progress.
Values 
Two compound expressions
- Example 23-21:
-
oli no save se wea mama?oli3plnonegsaveknowsecompweawheremama?motherThey don't know, where is their mother?
Source: Meyerhoff nd
- Example 23-22:
-
yu wantem karem wanem?yu2sgwantemwantkaremtakewanem?whatWhat do you want to buy?
Source: Meyerhoff nd
- Example 23-30:
-
be yufala i pem hem from wanem?bebutyufala2pliagrpempayhem3sgfromcauswanem?whatBut why are you paying (a fine) for her?
Source: Meyerhoff nd
- Example 23-41:
-
hem i luk Vira wetem hu i stap stanap?hem3sgiagrluklookViraVirawetemwithhuwhoiagrstapprogstanap?stand.upWho did she see Vira standing with?
Source: Meyerhoff nd
- Example 23-42:
-
e maefren, yu olsem wanem ia?eheymaefren,my.friendyu2sgolsemlikewanemwhatia?defHey, my friend, how are you?
Source: Meyerhoff nd
- Example 23-43:
-
plen bae i kamtru long wanem taem?plenplanebaeirriagrkamtruarrivelonglocwanemwhattaem?timeWhen will the plane arrive?
- Confidence:
- Certain