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1.6em!important;padding:0!important;width:auto;display:block}body.mediawiki .mw-parser-output .compact-ambox .ambox.mbox-small-left{font-size:100%;width:auto;margin:0}.mw-parser-output .compact-ambox .ambox .mbox-text{padding:0!important;margin:0!important}.mw-parser-output .compact-ambox .ambox .mbox-text-span{display:list-item;line-height:1.5em;list-style-type:disc}body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .multiple-issues-text>.mw-collapsible-toggle,.mw-parser-output .compact-ambox .ambox .mbox-image,.mw-parser-output .compact-ambox .ambox .mbox-imageright,.mw-parser-output .compact-ambox .ambox .mbox-empty-cell,.mw-parser-output .compact-ambox .hide-when-compact{display:none}</style><table class="box-Multiple_issues plainlinks metadata ambox ambox-content ambox-multiple_issues compact-ambox" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td class="mbox-text"><div class="mbox-text-span"><div class="multiple-issues-text mw-collapsible"><b>This article has multiple issues.</b> Please help <b><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Interrogative_word" title="Special:EditPage/Interrogative word">improve it</a></b> or discuss these issues on the <b><a href="/wiki/Talk:Interrogative_word" title="Talk:Interrogative word">talk page</a></b>. <small><i>(<a href="/wiki/Help:Maintenance_template_removal" title="Help:Maintenance template removal">Learn how and when to remove these messages</a>)</i></small> <div class="mw-collapsible-content"> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1251242444"><table class="box-Globalize plainlinks metadata ambox ambox-content ambox-globalize" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td class="mbox-text"><div class="mbox-text-span">The examples and perspective in this article <b>deal primarily with <a href="/wiki/English-speaking_world" title="English-speaking world">the English-speaking world</a> and do not represent a <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Countering_systemic_bias" title="Wikipedia:WikiProject Countering systemic bias">worldwide view</a> of the subject</b>.<span class="hide-when-compact"> You may <a class="external text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Interrogative_word&action=edit">improve this article</a>, discuss the issue on the <a href="/wiki/Talk:Interrogative_word" title="Talk:Interrogative word">talk page</a>, or <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Article_wizard" title="Wikipedia:Article wizard">create a new article</a>, as appropriate.</span> <span class="date-container"><i>(<span class="date">May 2017</span>)</i></span><span class="hide-when-compact"><i> (<small><a href="/wiki/Help:Maintenance_template_removal" title="Help:Maintenance template removal">Learn how and when to remove this message</a></small>)</i></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1251242444"><table class="box-More_citations_needed plainlinks metadata ambox ambox-content ambox-Refimprove" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td class="mbox-text"><div class="mbox-text-span">This article <b>needs additional citations for <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability" title="Wikipedia:Verifiability">verification</a></b>.<span class="hide-when-compact"> Please help <a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Interrogative_word" title="Special:EditPage/Interrogative word">improve this article</a> by <a href="/wiki/Help:Referencing_for_beginners" title="Help:Referencing for beginners">adding citations to reliable sources</a>. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.<br><small><span class="plainlinks"><i>Find sources:</i> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?as_eq=wikipedia&q=%22Interrogative+word%22">"Interrogative word"</a> – <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?tbm=nws&q=%22Interrogative+word%22+-wikipedia&tbs=ar:1">news</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?&q=%22Interrogative+word%22&tbs=bkt:s&tbm=bks">newspapers</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?tbs=bks:1&q=%22Interrogative+word%22+-wikipedia">books</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=%22Interrogative+word%22">scholar</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/action/doBasicSearch?Query=%22Interrogative+word%22&acc=on&wc=on">JSTOR</a></span></small></span> <span class="date-container"><i>(<span class="date">May 2020</span>)</i></span><span class="hide-when-compact"><i> (<small><a href="/wiki/Help:Maintenance_template_removal" title="Help:Maintenance template removal">Learn how and when to remove this message</a></small>)</i></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table> </div> </div><span class="hide-when-compact"><i> (<small><a href="/wiki/Help:Maintenance_template_removal" title="Help:Maintenance template removal">Learn how and when to remove this message</a></small>)</i></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>An <b>interrogative word</b> or <b>question word</b> is a <a href="/wiki/Function_word" title="Function word">function word</a> used to ask a <a href="/wiki/Question" title="Question">question</a>, such as <i>what, which</i>, <i>when</i>, <i>where</i>, <i><a href="/wiki/Who_(pronoun)" title="Who (pronoun)">who</a>, whom, whose</i>, <i>why</i>, <i>whether</i> and <i>how</i>. They are sometimes called <b>wh-words</b>, because in <a href="/wiki/English_language" title="English language">English</a> most of them start with <i><a href="/wiki/Wh_(digraph)" class="mw-redirect" title="Wh (digraph)">wh-</a></i> (compare <a href="/wiki/Five_Ws" title="Five Ws">Five Ws</a>). They may be used in both direct questions (<i>Where is he going?</i>) and in <a href="/wiki/Indirect_question" class="mw-redirect" title="Indirect question">indirect questions</a> (<i>I wonder where he is going</i>). In English and various other languages the same forms are also used as <a href="/wiki/Relative_pronoun" title="Relative pronoun">relative pronouns</a> in certain <a href="/wiki/Relative_clause" title="Relative clause">relative clauses</a> (<i>The country where he was born</i>) and certain <a href="/wiki/Adverb_clause" class="mw-redirect" title="Adverb clause">adverb clauses</a> (<i>I go where he goes</i>). It can also be used as a modal, since question words are more likely to appear in modal sentences, like (<i>Why was he walking?</i>) </p><p>A particular type of interrogative word is the <b>interrogative particle</b>, which serves to convert a statement into a <a href="/wiki/Yes%E2%80%93no_question" title="Yes–no question">yes–no question</a>, without having any other meaning. Examples include <i>est-ce que</i> in <a href="/wiki/French_language" title="French language">French</a>, ли <i>li</i> in <a href="/wiki/Russian_language" title="Russian language">Russian</a>, <i>czy</i> in <a href="/wiki/Polish_language" title="Polish language">Polish</a>, чи <i>chy in</i> <a href="/wiki/Ukrainian_language" title="Ukrainian language">Ukrainian</a>, <i>ĉu</i> in <a href="/wiki/Esperanto" title="Esperanto">Esperanto</a>, <i>āyā</i> آیا in <a href="/wiki/Persian_language" title="Persian language">Persian</a>, কি <i>ki</i> in <a href="/wiki/Bengali_language" title="Bengali language">Bengali</a>, <span lang="zh-hant"><a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%97%8E#Traditional_Chinese" class="extiw" title="wikt:嗎">嗎</a></span>/<span lang="zh-hans"><a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%90%97#Simplified_Chinese" class="extiw" title="wikt:吗">吗</a></span> <i>ma</i> in <a href="/wiki/Standard_Mandarin" class="mw-redirect" title="Standard Mandarin">Mandarin Chinese</a>, <i><span title="Turkish-language text"><i lang="tr">mı</i></span></i>/<i><span title="Turkish-language text"><i lang="tr">mi</i></span></i>/<span title="Turkish-language text"><i lang="tr">mu</i></span><i>/</i><span title="Turkish-language text"><i lang="tr">mü</i></span><sup id="cite_ref-vHarmony_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-vHarmony-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> in <a href="/wiki/Turkish_language" title="Turkish language">Turkish</a>, <i>pa</i> in <a href="/wiki/Ladin_language" title="Ladin language">Ladin</a>, <span title="Japanese-language text"><span lang="ja">か</span></span> <i>ka</i> in <a href="/wiki/Japanese_language" title="Japanese language">Japanese</a>, <span title="Korean-language text"><span lang="ko">까</span></span> <i>kka</i> in <a href="/wiki/Korean_language" title="Korean language">Korean</a>, <i>ko/kö</i><sup id="cite_ref-vHarmony_1-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-vHarmony-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> in Finnish, <i>tat</i> in <a href="/wiki/Catalan_language" title="Catalan language">Catalan</a>, (да) ли <i>(da) li</i> in <a href="/wiki/Serbo-Croatian" title="Serbo-Croatian">Serbo-Croatian</a> and <span title="Basque-language text"><i lang="eu">al</i></span> and <span title="Basque-language text"><i lang="eu">ote</i></span> <a href="/wiki/Basque_grammar" title="Basque grammar">in Basque</a>. <i>"Is it true that..."</i> and <i>"... right?"</i> would be a similar construct in English. Such <a href="/wiki/Particle_(grammar)" class="mw-redirect" title="Particle (grammar)">particles</a> contrast with other interrogative words, which form what are called <a href="/wiki/Wh-question" class="mw-redirect" title="Wh-question"><i>wh</i>-questions</a> rather than yes–no questions. </p><p>For more information about the grammatical rules for using formed questions in various languages, see <a href="/wiki/Interrogative" title="Interrogative">Interrogative</a>. </p> <div id="toc" class="toc" role="navigation" aria-labelledby="mw-toc-heading"><input type="checkbox" role="button" id="toctogglecheckbox" class="toctogglecheckbox" style="display:none"><div class="toctitle" lang="en" dir="ltr"><h2 id="mw-toc-heading">Contents</h2><span class="toctogglespan"><label class="toctogglelabel" for="toctogglecheckbox"></label></span></div> <ul> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1"><a href="#In_English"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">In English</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-2"><a href="#Interrogative_determiner"><span class="tocnumber">1.1</span> <span class="toctext">Interrogative determiner</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-3"><a href="#Interrogative_pronoun"><span class="tocnumber">1.2</span> <span class="toctext">Interrogative pronoun</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-4"><a href="#Interrogative_adverb"><span class="tocnumber">1.3</span> <span class="toctext">Interrogative adverb</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-5"><a href="#Yes%E2%80%93no_questions"><span class="tocnumber">1.4</span> <span class="toctext">Yes–no questions</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-6"><a href="#Forms_with_-ever"><span class="tocnumber">1.5</span> <span class="toctext">Forms with <i>-ever</i></span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-7"><a href="#Other_languages"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Other languages</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-8"><a href="#Australian_Aboriginal_languages"><span class="tocnumber">2.1</span> <span class="toctext">Australian Aboriginal languages</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-9"><a href="#See_also"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">See also</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-10"><a href="#References"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">References</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </section><div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 section-heading" onclick="mfTempOpenSection(1)"><span class="indicator mf-icon mf-icon-expand mf-icon--small"></span><h2 id="In_English">In English</h2><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Interrogative_word&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: In English" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div><section class="mf-section-1 collapsible-block" id="mf-section-1"> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/English_interrogative_words" title="English interrogative words">English interrogative words</a></div> <p>Interrogative words in English can serve as interrogative determiners, interrogative pronouns, or interrogative adverbs. Certain <a href="/wiki/Pronominal_adverb" title="Pronominal adverb">pronominal adverbs</a> may also be used as interrogative words, such as <i>whereby</i> or <i>wherefore</i>. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Interrogative_determiner">Interrogative determiner</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Interrogative_word&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Interrogative determiner" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <p>The interrogative words <i>which</i>, <i>what</i> and <i>whose</i> are <a href="/wiki/Determiner#Interrogative_determiners" title="Determiner">interrogative determiners</a> when used to prompt the specification of a presented <a href="/wiki/Noun" title="Noun">noun</a> or <a href="/wiki/Noun_phrase" title="Noun phrase">noun phrase</a> such as in the question <i><u>Which</u> farm is the largest?</i> where the interrogative determiner <i>which</i> prompts specification of the noun <i>farm</i>. In the question <i><u>Whose</u> gorgeous, pink painting is that?</i>, <i>whose</i> is the <a href="/wiki/Determiner#Interrogative_determiners" title="Determiner">interrogative</a>, <a href="/wiki/Personal_pronoun" title="Personal pronoun">personal</a>, <a href="/wiki/Possessive_determiner" title="Possessive determiner">possessive determiner</a> prompting a specification for the possessor of the noun phrase <i>gorgeous pink painting</i>. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Interrogative_pronoun">Interrogative pronoun</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Interrogative_word&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Interrogative pronoun" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <p>The interrogative words <i>who</i>, <i>whom</i>, <i>whose</i>, <i>what</i> and <i>which</i> are interrogative pronouns when used in the place of a <a href="/wiki/Noun" title="Noun">noun</a> or <a href="/wiki/Noun_phrase" title="Noun phrase">noun phrase</a>. In the question <i><u>Who</u> is the leader?</i>, the interrogative word <i>who</i> is a interrogative <a href="/wiki/Pronoun" title="Pronoun">pronoun</a> because it stands in the place of the noun or noun phrase the question prompts (e.g. <i>the king</i> or <i>the woman with the crown</i>). Similarly, in the question <i><u>Which</u> leads to the city center?</i> the interrogative word <i>which</i> is an interrogative pronoun because it stands in the place of a noun or noun phrase (e.g. <i>the road to the north</i> or <i>the river to your east</i>). Note, <i>which</i> is an interrogative <a href="/wiki/Pronoun" title="Pronoun">pronoun</a>, not an interrogative <a href="/wiki/Determiner" title="Determiner">determiner</a>, because there is no noun or noun phrase present to serve as a <a href="/wiki/Determiner" title="Determiner">determiner</a> for. Consequently, in the question <i>Which leads to the city center?</i> the word <i>which</i> is an interrogative pronoun; when in the question <i>Which road leads to the city center?</i> the word <i>which</i> is an interrogative determiner for the noun <i>road</i>. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Interrogative_adverb">Interrogative adverb</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Interrogative_word&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Interrogative adverb" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <p>The interrogative words <i>where, when, how, why, whether, whatsoever</i>, and the more archaic <i><a href="/wiki/Whither" class="mw-redirect" title="Whither">whither</a></i> and <i><a href="/wiki/Whence" class="mw-redirect" title="Whence">whence</a></i> are interrogative <a href="/wiki/Adverb" title="Adverb">adverbs</a> when they modify a verb. In the question <i><u>How</u> did you announce the deal?</i> the interrogative word <i>how</i> is an interrogative adverb because it modifies the verb <i>did</i> (past tense of <i>to do</i>). In the question <i><u>Why</u> should I read that book?</i> the interrogative word <i>why</i> is an interrogative adverb because it describes the verb <i>should</i>. </p><p>Note, in direct questions, interrogative adverbs always describe <a href="/wiki/Auxiliary_verb" title="Auxiliary verb">auxiliary verbs</a> such as <i>did</i>, <i>do</i>, <i>should</i>, <i>will</i>, <i>must</i>, or <i>might</i>. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Yes–no_questions"><span id="Yes.E2.80.93no_questions"></span>Yes–no questions</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Interrogative_word&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Yes–no questions" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <p>Yes–no questions can begin with an interrogative particle, such as: </p> <ul><li>A conjugation of <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/be#Conjugation" class="extiw" title="wikt:be">be</a> (e.g. "Are you hungry?")</li> <li>A conjugation of <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/do#Conjugation" class="extiw" title="wikt:do">do</a> (e.g. "Do you want fries?") - see <a href="/wiki/Do-support#In_questions" title="Do-support">Do-support § In questions</a></li> <li>A conjugation of another <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Category:English_auxiliary_verbs" class="extiw" title="wikt:Category:English auxiliary verbs">auxiliary verb</a>, including contractions (e.g. "Can't you move any faster?")</li></ul> <p>English questions can also be formed without an interrogative word as the first word, by changing the intonation or punctuation of a statement. For example: "You're done eating?" </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Forms_with_-ever">Forms with <i>-ever</i></h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Interrogative_word&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Forms with -ever" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <p>Most English interrogative words can take the <a href="/wiki/Suffix" title="Suffix">suffix</a> <i>-ever</i>, to form words such as <i>whatever</i> and <i>wherever</i>. (Older forms of the suffix are <i>-so</i> and <i>-soever</i>, as in <i>whoso</i> and <i>whomsoever</i>.) These words have the following main meanings: </p> <ul><li>As more emphatic interrogative words, often expressing disbelief or puzzlement in mainly <a href="/wiki/Rhetorical_question" title="Rhetorical question">rhetorical questions</a>: <i>Whoever could have done such a thing? Wherever has he gone?</i></li> <li>To form <a href="/wiki/Free_relative_clause" class="mw-redirect" title="Free relative clause">free relative clauses</a>, as in <i>I'll do whatever you do</i>, <i>Whoever challenges us shall be punished</i>, <i>Go to wherever they go</i>. In this use, the nominal <i>-ever</i> words (<i>who(m)ever</i>, <i>whatever</i>, <i>whichever</i>) can be regarded as <a href="/wiki/Indefinite_pronoun" title="Indefinite pronoun">indefinite pronouns</a> or as <a href="/wiki/English_relative_clauses" title="English relative clauses">relative pronouns</a>.</li> <li>To form <a href="/wiki/Adverbial_clause" title="Adverbial clause">adverbial clauses</a> with the meaning "no matter where/who/etc.": <i>Wherever they hide, I will find them.</i></li></ul> <p>Some of these words have also developed independent meanings, such as <i>however</i> as an <a href="/wiki/Adverb" title="Adverb">adverb</a> meaning "nonetheless"; <i>whatsoever</i> as an emphatic adverb used with <i>no</i>, <i>none</i>, <i>any</i>, <i>nothing</i>, etc. (<i>I did nothing wrong whatsoever</i>); and <i><a href="/wiki/Whatever_(slang)" title="Whatever (slang)">whatever</a></i> in its slang usage. </p> </section><div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 section-heading" onclick="mfTempOpenSection(2)"><span class="indicator mf-icon mf-icon-expand mf-icon--small"></span><h2 id="Other_languages">Other languages</h2><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Interrogative_word&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Other languages" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div><section class="mf-section-2 collapsible-block" id="mf-section-2"> <p>A frequent class of interrogative words in several other languages is the interrogative verb: </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Korean_language" title="Korean language">Korean</a>:</li></ul> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1209690778">.mw-parser-output .interlinear .bold{font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .interlinear .smallcaps{text-transform:uppercase;font-size:smaller}</style><div class="interlinear" style="margin-left:3em"><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.3em;margin-right: 1em;"><p style="margin: 0px;">날씨가</p><p style="margin: 0px;font-style: italic;">Nalssi-ga</p><p style="margin: 0px;">Weather-<abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="nominative case" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">NOM</abbr></p></div><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.3em;margin-right: 1em;"><p style="margin: 0px;"><b>어떻</b>습니까?</p><p style="margin: 0px;font-style: italic;"><b>eotteo</b>-sseumni-kka?</p><p style="margin: 0px;">be.how-<abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="politeness fifth level" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">POL5</abbr>-<abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="interrogative mood" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">INTERR</abbr></p></div><p style="display: none;">날씨가 <b>어떻</b>습니까?</p><p style="display: none;">Nalssi-ga <b>eotteo</b>-sseumni-kka?</p><p style="display: none;">Weather-NOM be.how-<abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="politeness fifth level" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">POL5</abbr>-INTERR</p><p style="clear: left;">"How's the weather?"</p><div style="clear: left; display: block;"></div> </div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Mongolian_language" title="Mongolian language">Mongolian</a>:</li></ul> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1209690778"><div class="interlinear" style="margin-left:3em"><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.3em;margin-right: 1em;"><p style="margin: 0px;font-style: italic;">Chi</p><p style="margin: 0px;">You</p></div><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.3em;margin-right: 1em;"><p style="margin: 0px;font-style: italic;"><b>yaa</b>-vch</p><p style="margin: 0px;">do.what-<abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="concessive mood" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">CONC</abbr></p></div><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.3em;margin-right: 1em;"><p style="margin: 0px;font-style: italic;">jaahan</p><p style="margin: 0px;">small</p></div><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.3em;margin-right: 1em;"><p style="margin: 0px;font-style: italic;">huuhed</p><p style="margin: 0px;">child</p></div><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.3em;margin-right: 1em;"><p style="margin: 0px;font-style: italic;">bish</p><p style="margin: 0px;">not</p></div><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.3em;margin-right: 1em;"><p style="margin: 0px;font-style: italic;">gej</p><p style="margin: 0px;">that</p></div><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.3em;margin-right: 1em;"><p style="margin: 0px;font-style: italic;">bi</p><p style="margin: 0px;">I</p></div><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.3em;margin-right: 1em;"><p style="margin: 0px;font-style: italic;">bod-jii-ne</p><p style="margin: 0px;">think-<abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="progressive aspect" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">PROG</abbr>-<abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="non-past tense" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">NPAST</abbr></p></div><p style="display: none;">Chi <b>yaa</b>-vch jaahan huuhed bish gej bi bod-jii-ne</p><p style="display: none;">You do.what-CONC small child not that I think-PROG-NPAST</p><p style="clear: left;">"Whatever you do, I think you're not a small child." (Example taken from an Internet forum)</p><div style="clear: left; display: block;"></div> </div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Australian_Aboriginal_languages">Australian Aboriginal languages</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Interrogative_word&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Australian Aboriginal languages" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <p>Interrogative <a href="/wiki/Pronoun" title="Pronoun">pronouns</a> in <a href="/wiki/Australian_Aboriginal_languages" title="Australian Aboriginal languages">Australian Aboriginal languages</a> are a diverse set of lexical items with functions extending far beyond simply the formation of questions (though this is one of their uses). These pronominal <a href="/wiki/Stem_(linguistics)" class="mw-redirect" title="Stem (linguistics)">stems</a> are sometimes called <b>ignoratives</b> or <b>epistememes</b> because their broader function is to convey differing degrees of perceptual or <a href="/wiki/Epistemic_modality" title="Epistemic modality">epistemic</a> certainty. Often, a singular ignorative stem may serve a variety of interrogative functions that would be expressed by different lexical items in, say, English through contextual variation and interaction with other <a href="/wiki/Morphology_(linguistics)" title="Morphology (linguistics)">morphology</a> such as <a href="/wiki/Grammatical_case" title="Grammatical case">case-marking</a>. In <a href="/wiki/Jingulu_language" title="Jingulu language">Jingulu</a>, for example, the single stem <i>nyamba</i> may come to mean 'what', 'where', 'why' or 'how' through combination with <a href="/wiki/Locative_case" title="Locative case">locative</a>, <a href="/wiki/Dative_case" title="Dative case">dative</a>, <a href="/wiki/Ablative_case" title="Ablative case">ablative</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Instrumental_case" title="Instrumental case">instrumental</a> case suffixes: </p> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1209690778"><div class="interlinear" style="margin-left:3em"><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.3em;margin-right: 1em;"><p style="margin: 0px;font-style: italic;">nyamba</p><p style="margin: 0px;"><abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="ignorative" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">IGNOR</abbr></p></div><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.3em;margin-right: 1em;"><p style="margin: 0px;font-style: italic;">nyamarni</p><p style="margin: 0px;"><abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="second person, singular" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">2SG</abbr>.<abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="ergative case" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">ERG</abbr></p></div><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.3em;margin-right: 1em;"><p style="margin: 0px;font-style: italic;">manjku</p><p style="margin: 0px;">skin.name</p></div><p style="display: none;">nyamba nyamarni manjku</p><p style="display: none;">IGNOR 2SG.ERG skin.name</p><p style="clear: left;">What <a href="/wiki/Australian_Aboriginal_kinship" title="Australian Aboriginal kinship">skin</a> are you?</p><div style="clear: left; display: block;"></div> </div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1209690778"><div class="interlinear" style="margin-left:3em"><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.3em;margin-right: 1em;"><p style="margin: 0px;font-style: italic;">nyamba-mbili-kaji</p><p style="margin: 0px;"><abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="ignorative" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">IGNOR</abbr>-<abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="locative case" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">LOC</abbr>-through</p></div><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.3em;margin-right: 1em;"><p style="margin: 0px;font-style: italic;">mankiyi-mindi-ju</p><p style="margin: 0px;">sit-<abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="first person, dual" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">1DU</abbr>.<abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="inclusive person" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">INCL</abbr>-do</p></div><p style="display: none;">nyamba-mbili-kaji mankiyi-mindi-ju</p><p style="display: none;">IGNOR-LOC-through sit-1DU.INCL-do</p><p style="clear: left;">Where are we sitting?</p><div style="clear: left; display: block;"></div> </div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1209690778"><div class="interlinear" style="margin-left:3em"><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.3em;margin-right: 1em;"><p style="margin: 0px;font-style: italic;">Nyamba-rna</p><p style="margin: 0px;"><abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="ignorative" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">IGNOR</abbr>-<abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="dative case" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">DAT</abbr></p></div><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.3em;margin-right: 1em;"><p style="margin: 0px;font-style: italic;">arrkuja-nga-nku-ju</p><p style="margin: 0px;">scratch-<abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="first person, singular" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">1SG</abbr>-<abbr class="gloss-abbr gloss-abbr-ambiguous" title="reflexive" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">REFL</abbr>-do</p></div><p style="display: none;">Nyamba-rna arrkuja-nga-nku-ju</p><p style="display: none;">IGNOR-DAT scratch-1SG-REFL-do</p><p style="clear: left;">Why are you scratching?</p><div style="clear: left; display: block;"></div> </div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1209690778"><div class="interlinear" style="margin-left:3em"><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.3em;margin-right: 1em;"><p style="margin: 0px;font-style: italic;">Nyamba-arndi-kaji</p><p style="margin: 0px;"><abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="ignorative" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">IGNOR</abbr>-<abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="instrument(al)" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">INST</abbr>-through</p></div><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.3em;margin-right: 1em;"><p style="margin: 0px;font-style: italic;">nya-rriyi-rni</p><p style="margin: 0px;"><abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="second person, singular" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">2SG</abbr>-go.<abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="future tense" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">FUT</abbr>-<abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="focus" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">FOC</abbr></p></div><p style="display: none;">Nyamba-arndi-kaji nya-rriyi-rni</p><p style="display: none;">IGNOR-INST-through 2SG-go.FUT-FOC</p><p style="clear: left;">How will you go?</p><div style="clear: left; display: block;"></div> </div> <p>(Adapted from Pensalfini<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>) </p><p>Other closely related languages, however, have less interrelated ways of forming wh-questions with separate <a href="/wiki/Lexeme" title="Lexeme">lexemes</a> for each of these wh-pronouns. This includes <a href="/wiki/Wardaman_language" title="Wardaman language">Wardaman</a>, which has a collection of entirely unrelated interrogative stems: <i>yinggiya</i> 'who', <i>ngamanda</i> 'what', <i>guda</i> 'where', <i>nyangurlang</i> 'when', <i>gun.garr-ma</i> 'how many/what kind'.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Mushin (1995)<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and Verstraete (2018)<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> provide detailed overviews of the broader functions of ignoratives in an array of languages. The latter focuses on the lexeme <i>ngaani</i> in many <a href="/wiki/Paman_languages" title="Paman languages">Paman Languages</a> which can have a <a href="/wiki/Wh_question" class="mw-redirect" title="Wh question">Wh</a>-like interrogative function but can also have a sense of epistemic indefiniteness or uncertainty like 'some' or 'perhaps;' see the following examples from <a href="/wiki/Umpithamu_language" title="Umpithamu language">Umpithamu</a>: </p><p><b>Wh-question</b> </p> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1209690778"><div class="interlinear" style="margin-left:3em"><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.3em;margin-right: 1em;"><p style="margin: 0px;font-style: italic;">Ngaani-ku</p><p style="margin: 0px;"><abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="ignorative" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">IGNOR</abbr>-<abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="dative case" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">DAT</abbr></p></div><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.3em;margin-right: 1em;"><p style="margin: 0px;font-style: italic;">mi'athi-ngka=uurra-athungku</p><p style="margin: 0px;">cry-<abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="present tense" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">PRS</abbr>=<abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="second person, plural" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">2PL</abbr>.<abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="nominative case" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">NOM</abbr>-<abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="first person, singular" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">1SG</abbr>.<abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="accusative case" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">ACC</abbr></p></div><p style="display: none;">Ngaani-ku mi'athi-ngka=uurra-athungku</p><p style="display: none;">IGNOR-DAT cry-PRS=2PL.NOM-1SG.ACC</p><p style="clear: left;">Why are you all crying for me?</p><div style="clear: left; display: block;"></div> </div> <p><b><a href="/wiki/Adjunct_(grammar)" title="Adjunct (grammar)">Adnominal</a> / <a href="/wiki/Determiner" title="Determiner">Determiner</a></b> </p> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1209690778"><div class="interlinear" style="margin-left:3em"><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.3em;margin-right: 1em;"><p style="margin: 0px;font-style: italic;">yukurun</p><p style="margin: 0px;">gear</p></div><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.3em;margin-right: 1em;"><p style="margin: 0px;font-style: italic;">ngaani</p><p style="margin: 0px;"><abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="ignorative" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">IGNOR</abbr></p></div><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.3em;margin-right: 1em;"><p style="margin: 0px;font-style: italic;">yitha-n=antyampa</p><p style="margin: 0px;">leave-<abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="past tense" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">PST</abbr>=<abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="first person, plural" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">1PL</abbr>.<abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="exclusive person" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">EXCL</abbr>.<abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="nominative case" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">NOM</abbr></p></div><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.3em;margin-right: 1em;"><p style="margin: 0px;font-style: italic;">kuura</p><p style="margin: 0px;">behind</p></div><p style="display: none;">yukurun ngaani yitha-n=antyampa kuura</p><p style="display: none;">gear IGNOR leave-PST=1PL.EXCL.NOM behind</p><p style="clear: left;">We left some gear behind</p><div style="clear: left; display: block;"></div> </div> <p><b><a href="/wiki/Adverbial" title="Adverbial">Adverbial</a></b> </p> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1209690778"><div class="interlinear" style="margin-left:3em"><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.3em;margin-right: 1em;"><p style="margin: 0px;font-style: italic;">Yupa</p><p style="margin: 0px;">today</p></div><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.3em;margin-right: 1em;"><p style="margin: 0px;font-style: italic;">miintha</p><p style="margin: 0px;">good</p></div><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.3em;margin-right: 1em;"><p style="margin: 0px;font-style: italic;">iluwa</p><p style="margin: 0px;"><abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="third person, singular" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">3SG</abbr>.<abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="nominative case" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">NOM</abbr></p></div><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.3em;margin-right: 1em;"><p style="margin: 0px;font-style: italic;">ngaani</p><p style="margin: 0px;"><abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="ignorative" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">IGNOR</abbr></p></div><div style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.3em;margin-right: 1em;"><p style="margin: 0px;font-style: italic;">ngama-l</p><p style="margin: 0px;">see-<abbr class="gloss-abbr" title="imperfect" style="font-variant: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: lining-nums; text-transform: lowercase;">IMPERF</abbr></p></div><p style="display: none;">Yupa miintha iluwa ngaani ngama-l</p><p style="display: none;">today good 3SG.NOM IGNOR see-IMPERF</p><p style="clear: left;">Perhaps she is better today.</p><div style="clear: left; display: block;"></div> </div> <p>(Verstraete 2018) </p> </section><div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 section-heading" onclick="mfTempOpenSection(3)"><span class="indicator mf-icon mf-icon-expand mf-icon--small"></span><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Interrogative_word&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: See also" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div><section class="mf-section-3 collapsible-block" id="mf-section-3"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Five_Ws" title="Five Ws">Five Ws</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Indeterminate_pronoun" title="Indeterminate pronoun">Indeterminate pronoun</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sentence_function" title="Sentence function">Sentence function</a></li></ul> </section><div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 section-heading" onclick="mfTempOpenSection(4)"><span class="indicator mf-icon mf-icon-expand mf-icon--small"></span><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Interrogative_word&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: References" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div><section class="mf-section-4 collapsible-block" id="mf-section-4"> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-vHarmony-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-vHarmony_1-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-vHarmony_1-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>Finnish and Turkish have vowel harmony, see more <a href="/wiki/Vowel_harmony" title="Vowel harmony">here</a></i></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Pensalfini, Rob. 2003. <i>A Grammar of Jingulu : an Aboriginal language of the Northern Territory</i>. Canberra ACT: Pacific Linguistics, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, The Australian National University.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFMerlan,_Francesca.1994" class="citation book cs1">Merlan, Francesca. (1994). <i>A grammar of Wardaman : a language of the Northern Territory of Australia</i>. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/3-11-012942-6" title="Special:BookSources/3-11-012942-6"><bdi>3-11-012942-6</bdi></a>. <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/28926390">28926390</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=A+grammar+of+Wardaman+%3A+a+language+of+the+Northern+Territory+of+Australia&rft.place=Berlin&rft.pub=Mouton+de+Gruyter&rft.date=1994&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F28926390&rft.isbn=3-11-012942-6&rft.au=Merlan%2C+Francesca.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AInterrogative+word" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFMushin1995" class="citation journal cs1">Mushin, Liana (June 1995). "Epistememes in Australian languages∗". <i>Australian Journal of Linguistics</i>. <b>15</b> (1): <span class="nowrap">1–</span>31. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1080%2F07268609508599514">10.1080/07268609508599514</a>. <a href="/wiki/ISSN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISSN (identifier)">ISSN</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0726-8602">0726-8602</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Australian+Journal+of+Linguistics&rft.atitle=Epistememes+in+Australian+languages%E2%88%97&rft.volume=15&rft.issue=1&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E1-%3C%2Fspan%3E31&rft.date=1995-06&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2F10.1080%2F07268609508599514&rft.issn=0726-8602&rft.aulast=Mushin&rft.aufirst=Liana&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AInterrogative+word" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFVerstraete2018" class="citation cs2">Verstraete, Jean-Christophe (2018-09-10), Olmen, Daniël; Mortelmans, Tanja; Brisard, Frank (eds.), "<span class="cs1-kern-left"></span>'Perhaps' in Cape York Peninsula", <i>Aspects of Linguistic Variation</i>, Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter, pp. <span class="nowrap">247–</span>268, <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<span class="id-lock-free" title="Freely accessible"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1515%2F9783110607963-010">10.1515/9783110607963-010</a></span>, <a href="/wiki/Hdl_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Hdl (identifier)">hdl</a>:<span class="id-lock-free" title="Freely accessible"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://hdl.handle.net/1885%2F170669">1885/170669</a></span>, <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3-11-060796-3" title="Special:BookSources/978-3-11-060796-3"><bdi>978-3-11-060796-3</bdi></a></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Aspects+of+Linguistic+Variation&rft.atitle=%27Perhaps%27+in+Cape+York+Peninsula&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E247-%3C%2Fspan%3E268&rft.date=2018-09-10&rft_id=info%3Ahdl%2F1885%2F170669&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2F10.1515%2F9783110607963-010&rft.isbn=978-3-11-060796-3&rft.aulast=Verstraete&rft.aufirst=Jean-Christophe&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AInterrogative+word" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl 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.navbox-image img{max-width:none!important}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .navbox{display:none!important}}</style></div>    </section></div> <noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?useformat=mobile&type=1x1&usesul3=0" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Interrogative_word&oldid=1262543038">https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Interrogative_word&oldid=1262543038</a>"</div></div> </div> <div class="post-content" id="page-secondary-actions"> </div> </main> <footer class="mw-footer minerva-footer" role="contentinfo"> <a class="last-modified-bar" href="/w/index.php?title=Interrogative_word&action=history"> <div class="post-content last-modified-bar__content"> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon-size-medium minerva-icon--modified-history"></span> <span class="last-modified-bar__text modified-enhancement" data-user-name="Smjg" data-user-gender="male" data-timestamp="1733959496"> <span>Last edited on 11 December 2024, at 23:24</span> </span> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon-size-small minerva-icon--expand"></span> </div> </a> <div class="post-content footer-content"> <div id='mw-data-after-content'> <div class="read-more-container"></div> </div> <div id="p-lang"> <h4>Languages</h4> <section> <ul id="p-variants" class="minerva-languages"></ul> <ul class="minerva-languages"><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ar mw-list-item"><a href="https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A3%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AA_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%81%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%85" title="أدوات الاستفهام – Arabic" lang="ar" hreflang="ar" data-title="أدوات الاستفهام" data-language-autonym="العربية" data-language-local-name="Arabic" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>العربية</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-br mw-list-item"><a href="https://br.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ger_goulenn" title="Ger goulenn – Breton" lang="br" hreflang="br" data-title="Ger goulenn" data-language-autonym="Brezhoneg" data-language-local-name="Breton" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Brezhoneg</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ca mw-list-item"><a href="https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interrogatiu" title="Interrogatiu – Catalan" lang="ca" hreflang="ca" data-title="Interrogatiu" data-language-autonym="Català" data-language-local-name="Catalan" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Català</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-da mw-list-item"><a href="https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sp%C3%B8rgeord" title="Spørgeord – Danish" lang="da" hreflang="da" data-title="Spørgeord" data-language-autonym="Dansk" data-language-local-name="Danish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Dansk</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erg%C3%A4nzungsfrage" title="Ergänzungsfrage – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="Ergänzungsfrage" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-et mw-list-item"><a href="https://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%BCsilause" title="Küsilause – Estonian" lang="et" hreflang="et" data-title="Küsilause" data-language-autonym="Eesti" data-language-local-name="Estonian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Eesti</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es mw-list-item"><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palabra_interrogativa" title="Palabra interrogativa – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="Palabra interrogativa" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Español</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-eu mw-list-item"><a href="https://eu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galde-perpaus" title="Galde-perpaus – Basque" lang="eu" hreflang="eu" data-title="Galde-perpaus" data-language-autonym="Euskara" data-language-local-name="Basque" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Euskara</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fa mw-list-item"><a href="https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%88%D8%A7%DA%98%D9%87%E2%80%8C%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C_%D9%BE%D8%B1%D8%B3%D8%B4%DB%8C_%D8%AF%D8%B1_%D8%B2%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86_%D8%A7%D9%86%DA%AF%D9%84%DB%8C%D8%B3%DB%8C" title="واژه‌های پرسشی در زبان انگلیسی – Persian" lang="fa" hreflang="fa" data-title="واژه‌های پرسشی در زبان انگلیسی" data-language-autonym="فارسی" data-language-local-name="Persian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>فارسی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outil_interrogatif" title="Outil interrogatif – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="Outil interrogatif" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-gd mw-list-item"><a href="https://gd.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceisteachar" title="Ceisteachar – Scottish Gaelic" lang="gd" hreflang="gd" data-title="Ceisteachar" data-language-autonym="Gàidhlig" data-language-local-name="Scottish Gaelic" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Gàidhlig</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hr mw-list-item"><a href="https://hr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upitne_zamjenice" title="Upitne zamjenice – Croatian" lang="hr" hreflang="hr" data-title="Upitne zamjenice" data-language-autonym="Hrvatski" data-language-local-name="Croatian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Hrvatski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-io mw-list-item"><a href="https://io.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interogativo" title="Interogativo – Ido" lang="io" hreflang="io" data-title="Interogativo" data-language-autonym="Ido" data-language-local-name="Ido" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Ido</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-id mw-list-item"><a href="https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interogativa" title="Interogativa – Indonesian" lang="id" hreflang="id" data-title="Interogativa" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Indonesia" data-language-local-name="Indonesian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Indonesia</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-is mw-list-item"><a href="https://is.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spurnarfornafn" title="Spurnarfornafn – Icelandic" lang="is" hreflang="is" data-title="Spurnarfornafn" data-language-autonym="Íslenska" data-language-local-name="Icelandic" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Íslenska</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-he mw-list-item"><a href="https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%9C%D7%AA_%D7%A9%D7%90%D7%9C%D7%94" title="מילת שאלה – Hebrew" lang="he" hreflang="he" data-title="מילת שאלה" data-language-autonym="עברית" data-language-local-name="Hebrew" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>עברית</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ka mw-list-item"><a href="https://ka.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%83%99%E1%83%98%E1%83%97%E1%83%AE%E1%83%95%E1%83%98%E1%83%97%E1%83%98_%E1%83%AC%E1%83%98%E1%83%9C%E1%83%90%E1%83%93%E1%83%90%E1%83%93%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%E1%83%90" title="კითხვითი წინადადება – Georgian" lang="ka" hreflang="ka" data-title="კითხვითი წინადადება" data-language-autonym="ქართული" data-language-local-name="Georgian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>ქართული</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-nl mw-list-item"><a href="https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vraagwoord" title="Vraagwoord – Dutch" lang="nl" hreflang="nl" data-title="Vraagwoord" data-language-autonym="Nederlands" data-language-local-name="Dutch" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Nederlands</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ja mw-list-item"><a href="https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%96%91%E5%95%8F%E8%A9%9E" title="疑問詞 – Japanese" lang="ja" hreflang="ja" data-title="疑問詞" data-language-autonym="日本語" data-language-local-name="Japanese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>日本語</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-uz mw-list-item"><a href="https://uz.wikipedia.org/wiki/So%CA%BBroq_gap" title="Soʻroq gap – Uzbek" lang="uz" hreflang="uz" data-title="Soʻroq gap" data-language-autonym="Oʻzbekcha / ўзбекча" data-language-local-name="Uzbek" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Oʻzbekcha / ўзбекча</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pnb mw-list-item"><a href="https://pnb.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%DB%8C%DB%81_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%B8" title="سوالیہ الفاظ – Western Punjabi" lang="pnb" hreflang="pnb" data-title="سوالیہ الفاظ" data-language-autonym="پنجابی" data-language-local-name="Western Punjabi" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>پنجابی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pt mw-list-item"><a href="https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palavra_interrogativa" title="Palavra interrogativa – Portuguese" lang="pt" hreflang="pt" data-title="Palavra interrogativa" data-language-autonym="Português" data-language-local-name="Portuguese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Português</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-kaa mw-list-item"><a href="https://kaa.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soraw_g%C3%A1p" title="Soraw gáp – Kara-Kalpak" lang="kaa" hreflang="kaa" data-title="Soraw gáp" data-language-autonym="Qaraqalpaqsha" data-language-local-name="Kara-Kalpak" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Qaraqalpaqsha</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-qu mw-list-item"><a href="https://qu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapukuq_sutip_rantin" title="Tapukuq sutip rantin – Quechua" lang="qu" hreflang="qu" data-title="Tapukuq sutip rantin" data-language-autonym="Runa Simi" data-language-local-name="Quechua" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Runa Simi</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sd mw-list-item"><a href="https://sd.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B6%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%B1_%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%81%DA%BE%D8%A7%D9%85" title="ضمير استفھام – Sindhi" lang="sd" hreflang="sd" data-title="ضمير استفھام" data-language-autonym="سنڌي" data-language-local-name="Sindhi" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>سنڌي</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sh mw-list-item"><a href="https://sh.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upitne_zamjenice" title="Upitne zamjenice – Serbo-Croatian" lang="sh" hreflang="sh" data-title="Upitne zamjenice" data-language-autonym="Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски" data-language-local-name="Serbo-Croatian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sv mw-list-item"><a href="https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fr%C3%A5geord" title="Frågeord – Swedish" lang="sv" hreflang="sv" data-title="Frågeord" data-language-autonym="Svenska" data-language-local-name="Swedish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Svenska</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-te mw-list-item"><a href="https://te.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B0%AA%E0%B1%8D%E0%B0%B0%E0%B0%B6%E0%B1%8D%E0%B0%A8%E0%B0%BE%E0%B0%B0%E0%B1%8D%E0%B0%A5%E0%B0%95_%E0%B0%AA%E0%B0%A6%E0%B0%BE%E0%B0%B2%E0%B1%81" title="ప్రశ్నార్థక పదాలు – Telugu" lang="te" hreflang="te" data-title="ప్రశ్నార్థక పదాలు" data-language-autonym="తెలుగు" data-language-local-name="Telugu" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>తెలుగు</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-zh mw-list-item"><a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%96%91%E9%97%AE%E8%AF%8D" title="疑问词 – Chinese" lang="zh" hreflang="zh" data-title="疑问词" data-language-autonym="中文" data-language-local-name="Chinese" 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