TITLE:
The Syntax of Wh-Questions in Gichuka
AUTHORS:
Peter Kinyua Muriungi, Miriam Kathomi Mutegi, Mary Karuri
KEYWORDS:
Wh-in Situ; Full Wh-Movement; Partial Wh-Movement; Intermediate Wh-Movement; Gichuka; Bantu
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Modern Linguistics,
Vol.4 No.1,
March
3,
2014
ABSTRACT: This study investigated wh-question formation in Gichuka, an SVO Bantu language spoken in
Kenya. The study established that Gichuka forms wh-question using the four strategies, namely: wh-in situ, full wh-movement,
partial wh-movement, and intermediate
strategy. In wh-in situ, the wh-phrase does not move. In full wh-movement, the wh-phrase moves to the beginning of the sentence. In partial wh-movement, the wh-phrase moves to an intermediate Spec, CP. In the intermediate
strategy, the wh-phrase moves to an
intermediate Spec, CP, or a Spec of the matrix CP, followed by movement of the
subject to position above CP, a Topic position. These findings are similar to those of Muriungi
(2003) who established that Kitharaka, a related Bantu
language forms questions using the four strategies. As in Muriungi (2003), the study established
that subjects cannot be questioned in situ.