3.11.2. Question particles

LSC has only one question particle described, namely the yes_no_{q_prt} [SYNTAX 1.2.1.3]. This particle exclusively marks polar interrogatives [SYNTAX 1.2.1]. No question particle has been described for content interrogatives [SYNTAX 1.2.3].

The yes_no_{q_prt} typically appears at the very end of a polar interrogative and it occurs in the same prosodic unit as the rest of the interrogative. The yes_no_{q_prt} is optional, since the non-manual marking is already marking the sentence as an interrogative. This question particle is described as non-neutral, since it adds a pragmatic meaning to the interrogative: it demands an immediate answer from the interlocutor.

                                        y/n

            ix₂ sleep yes_no_{q_prt}

            ‘Have you slept?’

(Cañas-Peña, 2015: 36)