GASPRO International Journal of Eminent Scholars

ABSTRACT

This paper aimed at examining the basic sentence structure and question-word questions in Ekᴉd, by determining the sentence patterns and syntactic analysis of question-word questions in Ekᴉd. A descriptive research design was adopted for the study; and the X-bar theory was deployed as the theoretical framework for data analysis. Data for the analysis were drawn from the central Ekᴉd via elicitation. Analysis reveals that, question-word questions in Ékᴉd are commonly derived from declaratives by replacing the subject or object of the declarative constructions with appropriate question-words. In addition, analysis reveals that, in the case of wh-movement (i.e. interrogative word movement or movement of a question word), the interrogative word can be base-generated at the subject position which requires no movement; but another instance where the interrogative word is base-generated at the object position, it can be moved to the left periphery of the sentence; and once it is moved, it is obligatorily followed by the marker ké ‘did’ (verb to DO), and also leaves a gap (ti) on its base-generated position. the question-word of a subject question-word question requires no fronting. This work serves as a tool for further research on the aspect of syntax in Ékᴉd.

KEYWORDS: Language, Wh-Question and Wh-fronting