In verb-initial languages, in NP questions, a questioned NP is always frontable and this is the normal pattern. It is possible, but less normal, to leave the questioned NP in the position questioned. A few cases of rightward movement of question words are attested, but there is no attested tendency for the question word to attract to the normal DO position (as is the case for verb-final languages).
Standardized
IF word order is verb-initial, THEN in NP questions a questioned NP is always frontable. IF word order is verb-initial, THEN there is no attraction of the questioned NP to the normal DO position. IF word order is verb-final, THEN there is a tendency to attract a questioned NP to the normal DO position.
Keywords
order, verb-initial, verb-final, NP question
Domain
syntax
Type
implication
Status
achronic
Quality
statistical
Basis
unknown
Source
unpublished statements of Keenan’s, reproduced in D.Payne 1990: 12
