Wh-Scope Marking in Japanese: Evidence for the Indirect-Dependency Approach

Abstract

The goal of this squib is to tease apart two competing approaches to wh-scope marking, the direct-dependency approach and the indirect-dependency approach, by introducing Japanese wh-scope marking. The two approaches make different predictions regarding the type of the embedded clause in wh-scope-marking constructions. The embedded clause is regarded as declarative under the direct-dependency approach but as interrogative under the indirect-dependency approach. What is especially interesting in this respect is that Japanese wh-scope marking requires the embedded clause to be marked by the interrogative complementizer ka. Japanese wh-scope marking thus provides clear morphological evidence for the indirect-dependency approach.