Questions

Polar Questions

Polar questions can be formed in several ways. Syntactic means can form overt polar questions, while particular intonations can give utterances with declarative syntax the illocutionary force of a question.

Syntactic Questions

Polar questions are formed by means of a sentence-initial question particle. There are several attested particles, with no clear semantic distinction among them.

ndax is one sentence-initial question particle. It may or may not be preferentially used in instances where the speaker has incomplete information to make the yes-no judgment themselves, or situations in which the speaker is seeking confirmation. E.g. ndax añaama, "Is he eating?" as uttered while looking at a person with a plate and utensils (102).

xaƈa is another sentence-initial question particle, seemingly identical in usage to ndax except that it can be used as an adverb in declarative sentences, meaning roughly 'perhaps'. The free variant xeƈa exists.

Intonational Questions

Polar questions can be implied by adding a non-sentence-final H to normal declarative (falling) intonation. The specific placement of the H varies.

WH Questions

All WH-questions are formed through the use of syntactically overt WH-pronouns.

xar - what

tam - where, with occasional licensing by an applicative suffix on the verb

an - who, with an apparent verbal prefix na- that is not entirely explainable yet

mban - when

yam xar - why, lit. 'because what'

WH Constituent Questions

Wh-DPs ("which N") are formed such that the WH D agrees in noun class marking with the noun at the head of the NP. As such, there are 14 different ways of saying "which." Description of these WH words will be here shortly.