Chapter 9
Finite and Nonfinite Clauses
Exercise 9.3
Wh-Questions
For the following wh-questions, indicate the extraction site of the wh-word or phrase and specify its type and function.
| Example: | What do they know about their mom's mysterious disappearance? (coca:spok) |
| Answer: | What do they know [t] about their mom's mysterious disappearance? Type: interrogative pronoun Function: dO |
When did you realize that you were very sexy? (coca:spok)
What song made the greatest impression on you? (coca:spok)
How soon can you be here? (coca:spok)
Where did you learn English? (coca:fic)
What did you say your name was? (coca:fic)
What happened to the weapons of mass destruction? (coca:spok)
Whom does Ms. Dickson find exciting? (coca:news)
Who did you introduce him to? (coca:spok)
Which one have you mastered? (coca:mag)
How many lawyers does he have in Aruba? (coca:spok)
Why is it recommended that arthritis sufferers exercise? (coca:acad)
How did they imagine that an eleven-year-old would amuse herself? (coca:fic)
Explain the ambiguity of the following sentence and give generalized D structure trees for the two readings:
Why did Ruth say she likes fondue?
When did you realize [t] that you were very sexy?
Type: interrogative adverb
Function: aA
What song [t] made the greatest impression on you?
Type: interrogative determiner
Function: specifier of N song (what song is Su)
How soon can you be here [t]?
Type: interrogative degree word
Function: specifier of Adv soon (how soon is aA)
Where did you learn English [t]?
Type: interrogative adverb
Function: aA
What did you say your name was [t]?
Type: interrogative pronoun
Function: sC
What [t] happened to the weapons of mass destruction?
Type: interrogative pronoun
Function: Su
Whom does Ms. Dickson find [t] exciting?
Type: interrogative pronoun
Function: dO
Who did you introduce him to [t]?
Type: interrogative pronoun
Function: OP
Which one have you mastered [t]?
Type: interrogative determiner
Function: specifier of N one (which one is dO)
How many lawyers does he have [t] in Aruba?
Type: interrogative degree word
Function: specifier of A many (how many lawyers is dO)
Why is it recommended [t] that arthritis sufferers exercise?
Type: interrogative adverb
Function: aA
How did they imagine that an eleven-year-old would amuse herself [t]?
Type: interrogative adverb
Function: aA
(This sentence is ambiguous: it is either “how did they imagine” or “how would an eleven-year-old amuse herself”; that is, how modifies either the verb in the higher S (how ∼ imagine) or it modifies the verb in the lower S (how ∼ amuse)
Why may be a modifier of say, that is, sister of the V ‘say that she likes fondue’.
Alternatively, why may be a modifier of like, that is, sister of the V ‘likes fondue’.