The Syntax-Pragmatics Interface in English and Hausa Question Formations
Mansur Isah Buhari
Abstract
This paper explores the syntax-pragmatics interface in question formation in English and Hausa, analyzing the structural and pragmatic mechanisms underlying interrogative constructions. The study highlights the interplay between syntactic rules and pragmatic factors such as context, speaker intention, and information structure. By providing a comparative analysis of yes/no questions, wh-questions, and tag questions in both languages, the paper identifies shared principles and language-specific variations. The findings contribute to broader linguistic discussions on universal principles, typological distinctions, and the relationship between form and function in natural language.
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Grice, H. P. (1975). Logic and conversation. In P. Cole & J. Morgan (Eds.), Syntax and
semantics, volume 3 (pp. 41-58). Academic Press.
Levinson, S. C. (1983). Pragmatics. Cambridge University Press.
Sperber, D., & Wilson, D. (1986). Relevance: Communication and cognition. Blackwell.
Tuller, L. (1992). The syntax of Wh-questions in Hausa. Natural Language & Linguistic
Theory, 10(3), 423-478.
