ABSTRACT
Interrogatives, by contrast, do involve one or two changes to the unmarked pattern, although not in all languages. If they aim for specifi c information, then a non-subject wh-phrase ( who , what , which , where , when , why , and how ) is placed in clause-initial position rather than in its unmarked postverbal position. Additionally, the auxiliary, which normally follows the subject, is placed in front of it, at least in languages such as English and French. The inversion of subject and auxiliary is induced by the reordering of the wh-phrase: What was Bill reading? If interrogatives aim for confi rmation or denial, as in yes/no questions, only the auxiliary is re-ordered – it is placed in front of the subject: Was Bill reading a book? Such re-ordering of the auxiliary is, however, restricted to main clauses: I wonder whether Bill was reading a book and not * I wonder whether was Bill reading a book .
