On the So-called Interrogative Nouns in Yorùbá

Abstract

This paper challenges an age-long claim in Yoruba Syntax that movement of interrogative nouns such as kí , ta, mélòó , èló , etc. clause-initially is responsible for typing content word question clauses as interrogative. The paper, adopting descriptive method of analysis and leaning on information structure, clause structure and clause typing evidence posits that preposing the so-called interrogative nouns is for focus rather than questioning, and that what instantiates interrogative force in such question clauses is phonetically null contrary to traditional Yoruba grammarians’ claim.