Towards the typology of indirect question markers

Valeriya Morozova1, Natalia Serdobolskaya2
1National Research University Higher School of Economics / 2Institute of Linguistics RAS2Pushkin State Russian Language Institute

Abstract. The paper is aimed at providing a typological survey of indirect question (IQ) markers in languages of the world. The sample of 30 languages has been examined, and 89 IQ markers have been identified and classified into the following groups: null strategy (asyndetic construction); quotative markers; subordinators, including complementizers, relativizers and adverbial clause markers (conditionals and concessives); question particles; disjunctive particles and conjunctions; two-predicate complexes; oblique mood markers and focus marking devices. Based on this data, we formulate preliminary typological implications and provide a list of relevant typological parameters.

Keywords: typology, argument clauses, complementation, complement clauses, question, interrogative clause, indirect question, embedded question, subordination

For citation: Morozova V., Serdobolskaya N. Towards the typology of indirect question markers. Typology of Morphosyntactic Parameters. 2020. Vol. 3, iss. 2. Pp. 127–146.