The Interaction of the Grammatical Features 'Question' and 'Focus' in Sentences

Abstract

From a Universal Grammar perspective, there are three grammatical devices for processing the "question" feature [+Wh] - movement, adjunction, & repetition - & two grammatical devices for processing the "focus" feature [+Focus] - the fronting of focused constituents & the insertion of a focus marker, eg, be before focused constituents in English. In this mode of formulation, a set of language-particular & structure-particular grammatical properties such as those of English interrogative & cleft sentences & Chinese focus constructions is decomposed & reanalyzed, resulting in significant simplification. There is no such thing as "Wh-Movement" in a formal theory of English syntax; what is called Wh-Movement is shown to be an instantiation of a more generally applicable "Focus-Fronting" rule in English Wh-questions. The so-called "Question Formation" is thus decomposed into two independent processes: "Subject-Auxiliary Inversion" & "Focus Fronting.".