Word order of interrogative phrases (Northern Mansi)

InS: Interrogative phrases display in situ word order; that is, the IP appears in the same position in a question as would its equivalent phrase in the full-sentence answer to the question.


(1) kāsǝŋ ńāwram manǝr wāγ?
every child what know.prs.3sg
‘What does every child know?’ (Lūimā Sēripos 2014/17: 2)


(2) manǝr tēl­-at tārwitǝŋ­-ǝt ōl-­s­-ǝt?
what winter-­pl hard-­pl be-­pst-­3pl
‘What was difficult during the winter?’ (Lūimā Sēripos 2015/2: 12)


In Northern Mansi, the question word takes the position of the element it substitutes, cf. (1) and (2).

Author: 

Szilvia Németh