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--- en:grammar:questions [2022-01-09 13:52] – christian
+++ en:grammar:questions [2023-01-29 11:10] (current) – [Content questions] christian
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+{{page>nav}}
 ====== Questions ======
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 **Ti no li fa it.** – You didn't do it.\\
-**Ti no li fa it ka.** – Didn't you do it?
+**Ti no li fa it ka?** – Didn't you do it?
-The answer to such question typically consists in, or starts with, either **wi** 'yes' or **no** 'no' – hence the name.
+The answer to such question typically consists in, or starts with, either **xi**, which means 'yes' in this context, or with **no** 'no' – hence the name.
 As in English and many other languages, the pitch of one's voice often rises at the end of questions. However, this is not required, and a rising pitch alone is never sufficient to turn a statement into a question – instead, **ka** or one of the question words covered below is used for this purpose.
+===== Asking about alternatives =====
+**Ka** is also used when asking about alternatives, which are typically specified as a list, using **au** 'or' between the last two elements.
+**Ti yau kofi au cai ka?** – Do you want coffee or tea?
+In such cases, the answer frequently specifies one of the alternatives.
+**Kofi, ku jenti.** – Coffee, please.
 ===== Content questions =====
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 **ke tem** – when\\
 **ke xos** – what\\
-**kese** – how\\
+**por ke** – why\\
-**por ke** – why
+**kam** – how much, how many, how (degree)\\
+**kes** – whose\\
+**kese** – how
 (XXX Complete list.)
-These question words are usually placed in the position where the corresponding word would occur in non-question sentences. In contrast to English, they are //not// moved to the front of the sentence (WALS 93; APiCS 12).
+These question words are usually placed in the position where the corresponding word would occur in non-question sentences. In contrast to English, they are //not// moved to the front of the sentence (WALS 93; APiCS 12). XXX Maybe revise this to allow either placement? (If the object is fronted, the may mean that **o** is then required – or maybe leave it optional in this case too.)
 **Ti li miru ke jen?** – Whom did you see?\\
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 In this example, **jen** can be omitted, since only people volunteer. But if you want to ask 'Who'll fix this?', you should better say **Ke jen ga [fix/repair] si?**, since **Ke ga [fix/repair] si?** would likely be understood as 'What'll fix this?'
-The expression **ke xos** 'what' can be used if you want to by very explicit about asking about a thing (or things) rather than about a person. But it's rarely needed, since **ke** alone is generally fine.
+The expression **ke xos** 'what' can be used if you want to be very explicit about asking about a thing (or things) rather than about a person. But it's rarely needed, since **ke** alone is generally fine.
+**Kam** is used to ask about quantities.
+**Kam kulin [remain]?** – How much food is left?\\
+**Kam jen li lai?** – How many people came?\\
+**Ti [practice] kam?** – How much do you practice?\\
+**Ti [practice] kam kai?** – How often do you practice?
+**Kes** is used to ask about a possessive relationship (in a very wide sense).
+**Si xi kes ruma?** – Whose house is this?\\
+**Tina xi kes nubet?** – Tina is whose daughter? / Whose daughter is Tina?
 XXX Examples for **kese** 'how' (in what manner, in what state, in which way):
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 ... – I remember well how I first met her/him. (used as conjunction)
-If the answer will likely not contain a copula, no copula is used in the question either:
+Note: **kes** is derived from **ke** using the **-s** suffix that's also used to form the [[pronouns#possessive_pronouns|possessive forms of pronouns]] ending in a vowel, such as **mis** from **mi**. **Kese**, on the other hand, is an independent root that just happens to start with the same syllable (not totally by accident, since all fundamental question words start with **k**).
+XXX Explain how to express 'which' (**ke de le**, if needed).
+===== Embedded questions =====
+Questions can be embedded within other clauses. Content questions are embedded without any changes (except by adjusting pronouns as needed).
+**Nas no xvo yexo a unotra nas xi ke jen.** – We haven't yet told each other who we are.
-**Ti kese?** – How are you?\\
+In the case of questions ending in **ka**, that final particle is dropped and the embedded question is instead introduced with **se** 'if, whether'.
-**Mi hau.** – I'm good.
-XXX Explain how to express 'which' and 'how many/how much'.
+**Mi konside se tum bisa fa it.** – I wonder whether you can do it.\\
+**Ya li ven mi se mi yau kofi au cai.** – He/She asked me whether I wanted coffee or tea.