KEDU INTERROGATIVE CONSTRUCTIONS IN IGBO

Abstract

Kedu interrogative construction is the alternative strategy deployed in Igbo to achieve constituent questions. Hence, all possible content word questions types have a corresponding kedu question. However, kedu questions have not been adequately described with regards to its morphological and c-selectional properties within the complementiser phrase (CP) domain. This study, therefore, investigates the morphosyntax of kedu constructions, based on the split complementiser phrase of the Minimalist Program, with a view to determining its morphological structure, cselectional properties and syntactic distribution. Primary data were collected using observation and native speaker knowledge of the language, while secondary data were gathered from existing relevant literature. The study argues that kedu has [+Q] force and [+Foc] focus features. The former lacks EPP while the latter has EPP feature which requires its specifier to be filled overtly. The study shows that it is not only the suppletives of question words that undergo displacement to the left periphery in kedu constructions, rather, other types of DPs including personal pronouns are potential attractees as long as they are marked [+Foc] or questioned. The study demonstrated that kedu interrogative is a manifestation of the native speaker-hearer’s alternative means of achieving content word questions in Igbo.