A preliminary investigation of the formation of constituent questions in Karata (Nakh-Daghestanian)

Jeremy Pasquereau,Rashidat Khalidova

doi:10.3765/plsa.v2i0.4081

Abstract

This paper gives a first description of the formation of constituent questions in the understudied Karata language. It gives the first description of constituent questions in this language and argues that they exhibit the characteristics predicted of type 4 languages by Cable 2010's theory.

Highlights

The theory of constituent questions developed in Cable 2010 predicts 32 types of languages with respect to how constituent questions are formed
We propose that Karata, an Andic language of the Nakh-Daghestanian language family spoken in Daghestan, is an example of the until now unattested type 4.2 The paper is organized as follows
In order to ask a wh-question in Karata, three ingredients are necessary: a wh-word, the Question particle -(o)l(e), and the main verb of the question must be in the participial form (7a and 7b) except in the future where the finite form is the one used (7c)

Summary

Introduction

The theory of constituent questions developed in Cable 2010 predicts 32 types of languages with respect to how constituent questions are formed. Several of those types have not been attested yet. We propose that Karata (kirʟi mac 'i, Russian karatinskijjazyk), an Andic language of the Nakh-Daghestanian language family spoken in Daghestan, is an example of the until now unattested type 4.2 The paper is organized as follows.

Background

Conclusion