Cover not available

Article published In: Asian Languages and Linguistics
Vol. 1:2 (2020) ► pp.309–345

Get fulltext from our e-platform
JBE logo with link
PDF logo with download linkDownload PDF
authorization required

On the nature of AA question
in Yi
and related problems

 | Beijing Normal University
 | Southwest Minzu University
Published online: 11 December 2020
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/alal.20012.zha
Abstract
This paper aims to study a kind of interrogative in Yi which surfaces as an AA form commonly viewed as AA/Reduplicative Question. It explores the interrogative motivation, question type, generative mechanism and syntactic derivation of AA Question. We first assume that (i) AA question in Yi is a kind of alternative question, which is reduced successively from A-or-not-A and A-not-A question and (ii) the [+Q] feature of AA question does not result from reduplication but from other reasons. To justify these two assumptions, we use tests including adverb tests, modal tests, tag question tests, SFP tests, Q & A tests, and cross-language investigation and sociolinguistic survey. The findings include (i) the [+Q] feature of AA question results from the existence of an abstract interrogative morpheme, (ii) the phenomenon of reduplication is just a kind of byproduct with the syntactic derivation of AA question and (iii) AA question, diachronically speaking, is essentially a kind of alternative question, which is reduced successively from A-or-not-A and A-not-A question to meet the economic principle of language.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Review of previous studies
    • 2.1An overview of previous studies
    • 2.2Further discussions on previous studies
    • 2.3A brief summary of previous studies
  • 3.Our proposals: Hypotheses and evidence
    • 3.1Hypotheses
    • 3.2Direct and indirect evidence
      • 3.2.1Evidence from syntactic tests and Q & A tests
      • 3.2.2Evidence from cross-language investigation
      • 3.2.3Evidence from a sociolinguistic survey
        • The aim of this survey and a working hypothesis
        • Methods, participants and preliminary findings
        • A further test of rqs’ frequency among different age groups: Methods, analyses and Results
          • Implications of this sociolinguistic survey
      • 3.2.4A brief summary
    • 3.3The interrogative motivation and syntactic derivation of AA Question in Yi
      • 3.3.1An abstract interrogative morpheme: its role and our further claims
      • 3.3.2The syntax of the [+Q] feature of AA Question in Yi
      • 3.3.3A brief summary
  • 4.Concluding remarks
  • Notes
  • Abbreviations
  • References
References (25)
References
Bolinger, Dwight. (1978). Yes|no questions are not alternative questions. Hiz, Henry (ed.), Questions, Springer, vol. 11, Synthese language library, 87–105. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Chen, Meijin. (1993). Hanyu yu yi xie hanzangxi yuyan yiwenju yiwen shouduan de leixing gongxing [On typological universals regarding ways of forming interrogatives between Chinese and some Sino-Tibetan family languages]. Yuyan Yanjiu [Language Studies] 11: 21–31.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Chen, Shilin, Bian Shiming and Li Xiuqing. (1985). Yiyu Jianzhi [A Sketchy Grammar of Yi]. National Publishing House.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Dai, Qingxia and Fu Ailan. (2001). Zangmianyu de shifei yiwenju [On yes-no questions in Tibetan-Burman langauges]. Zhongguo Yuwen [Studies of The Chinese Language] 51: 390–398.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Dai, Qingxia and Zhu Yanhua. (2010). Zangmianyu xuanze yiwen fanchou jufa jiegou de yanbianlian [On the evolution chain of the syntactic structure of the alternative interrogative category in Tibetan Burman languages]. Hanyu Xuebao [Journal of Chinese] 21: 2–13.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Dong, Fang. (2011). Leixingxue shijiao xia de zhengfanwenju yanjiu [A typological study to A-not-A Questions]. MA thesis, Shanghai Normal University.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Fu, Ailan and Hu Suhua. (2001). Liangshan Yiyuweici de chongdie [On reduplication of predicates in Liangshan Yi]. In Proceedings of Chinese ethnic language and literature research, 17–37. National Publishing House.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Huang, C.-T. James. (1991). Modularity and Chinese A-NOT-A Questions [A]. In C. Georgopoulos and R. Ishihara (eds.), Interdisciplinary Approaches to Linguistics: Essays in Honor of Yuki Kuroda, 305–332. Kluwer Academic Publishers. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Huang, C.-T. James, Yen-hui Audrey Li, and Yafei Li. (2009). The Syntax of Chinese. Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Liu, Danqing. (2005). Julei ji yiwenju he qishiju: yufa diaocha yanjiu shouce jiexuan [sentence type, question and imperative excerpted from the Handbook of Grammar Investigation]. Yuyan Kexue [Language Sciences] 51: 78–98.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. (2008). Weici chongdie yiwenju de yuyan gongxing jiqi jieshi [On language universals and its explanation regarding questions formed by reduplicated-predicates]. Yuyanxue Luncong [Series of Linguistics] 381: 144–164.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Liu, Hongyong. (2016). The emergence of reduplicative polar interrogatives. Language Sciences 541: 26–42. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Luo, Xinru and Peng Hongliang. (2012). Guangxi xiangyu zhong de chongdieshi fanfu wenju [On reduplicative questions in Guangxi Xiang]. Hanyu Xuebao [Journal of Chinese] 41: 59–63.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Luo, Futeng. (1996). Shandong fangyan li de fanfu wenju [On reduplicative question in Shandong dialect]. Fangyan [Dialect] 31: 229–234.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ma, Xingguo. (1990). Yiyu yiwen yuqici bianxi [On differentiation of interrogative particles in Yi]. Xi’nan Minzu Xueyuan Xuebao [Journal of Southwest Nationalities College] 11: 43–47.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ni, Dabai. (1982). Zangmian, Miaoyao, Dongtai zhu yuyan ji hanyu yiwenju jiegou de yitong [On differences regarding the structure of interrogatives among Tibetan Burman, Miao-Yao, Dong-Tai and Chinese]. Yuyan Yanjiu [Language Studies] 11: 249–258.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Paul, Hagstrom. (2005). A-not-A questions. In Martin Everaert and Henk van Riemsdijk (eds.), The Blackwell Companion to Syntax (Syncom), vol.11, ch.7. Blackwell.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Paul, Law. (2006). Adverbs in A-not-A Questions in Mandarin Chinese. Journal of East Asian Linguistics 151: 97–136. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Sun, Hongkai. (1995). Zangmianyu yiwen fangshi shixi – jianlun hanyu zangmianyu tezhi wenju de goucheng he laiyuan [On ways of forming questions in Tibetan-Burman languages including discussions on the composition and origin of wh-questions in Mandarin Chinese and Tibetan-Burman languages]. Minzu Yuwen [Minority Languages of China] 51: 1–11.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Wang, Qin. (2015). Hanyu fangyan zhengfan wenju leixingxue tantao [On typological exploration on A-not-A Questions in dialects of Chinese]. Fuyang shifan xueyuan xuebao [Journal of Fuyang Normal College] 21: 50–55.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Xu, Jie. (2001). Pubian yufa yuanze yu hanyu yufa xianxiang [General principles of universal grammar and phenomena of Chinese grammar]. Peking University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Xiang, Mengbing. (2002). Kejiahua fanfu wenju zhong de heyin xianxiang [On fusion in reduplicative questions of Kejia dialect]. Yuyanxue Luncong [Series of Linguistics] 251: 152–167.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Zhai, Huifeng. (2014). Yiyu dongbu fangyan babaohua de shifei yiwenju [On yes-no question in Babao dialect of the eastern dialect of Yi]. Qiannan minzu shifan xueyuan xuebao [Journal of Qiannan Normal College for Nationalities] 41:20–24.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Zhao, Xiaodong, and Xiong Anhui. (2011). Yiyu zhong de zhengfan wenju [On A-not-A Questions in Yi]. Qiannan minzu shifan xueyuan xuebao [Journal of Qiannan Normal College for Nationalities] 11:42–48.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Zhu, Dexi. (1991). “V-Neg-VO” yu “VO-Neg-V” liangzhong fanfu wenju zai hanyu fangyan zhong de fenbu [On distributions of two reduplicative questions “V-Neg-VO” and “VO-Neg-V” among Chinese dialects]. In Proceedings of celebrating Prof. JiXianlin’s Eightieth Birthday, 209–223. Jiangxi People’s Publishing House.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Mobile Menu Logo with link to supplementary files background Layer 1 prag Twitter_Logo_Blue