1.2.3.1. Non-manual markers in content interrogatives
Content interrogatives have specific non-manual marking features associated with them. The non-manual marking usually consists in a combination of the following features.
- Furrowed eyebrows
- Forward head tilt
- Body lean
- Chin raise
- Shoulder raise (occasional)
- Squinted eyes (occasional)
These non-manual marking spreads over the wh-sign and may also spread over some other signs of the sentence, or even the whole sentence.
wh
a) joan buy what
‘What did Joan buy?’
wh
b) joan buy what
‘What did Joan buy?’
wh
c) joan buy what
‘What did Joan buy?’
(© Sara Cañas Peña 2013. Examples a-c reprinted with permission from Cañas-Peña, 2013: 31)
wh
d) puppy want who
‘Who wants a puppy?’ [VIDEOS FROM NOW ON WILL BE UPLOADED WHEN ALLOWED TO ACCESS THE UNIVERSITY]
wh
e) puppy want who
‘Who wants a puppy?’
(examples d-e based on Alba, 2016: 95-97)
When the wh-sign occupies the final position of the sentence, the spreading of the non-manual marking over the material preceding is optional. This spreading is related to presupposed information in the communicative context.
Wh-signs such as why or how follow the same spreading behavior for non-manual markings. Any non-final wh-sign triggers the spreading of non-manual features to the end of the clause.
wh
a) john cookie steal why
‘Why did John steal the cookie?’
wh
b) why john cookie steal
‘Why did John steal the cookie?’
wh
c) wheel car change how
‘How does one change a car wheel?’
wh
d) how wheel car change
‘How does one change a car wheel?’
(examples a-d based on Alba, 2016: 95-97)