There appears to be a differentiation hierarchy in interrogative word inventories with related implicational universals corresponding to the following distribution: most languages have interrogative pro-nouns, many have interrogative pro-adverbs, fewer have interrogative pro-adjectives (Polish ‘jaki’, Yiddish ‘voser’), few have interrogative pro-numerals (Latin ‘quot’, ‘quotus’) and only a small number have interrogative pro-verbs (Southern Paiute, Western Desert, Mandarin, Yana, Avar).
Standardized
IF there is an interrogative pro-verb, THEN there is an interrogative pro-numeral. IF there is an interrogative pro-numeral, THEN there is an interrogative pro-adjective. IF there is an interrogative pro-adjective, THEN there is an interrogative pro-adverb. IF there is an interrogative pro-adverb, THEN there is an interrogative pro-noun.
Keywords
interrogative word
Domain
lexicon
Type
implicational hierarchy
Status
achronic
Quality
statistical
Basis
European languages (with some non-European background)
1. One could imagine the existence of interrogative pro-adpositions, but according to Katz & Postal (1964: 152, note 29) they cannot exist, whereas Weinreich (1963: 122) thinks this is an open question. (Zaefferer 1990: 227)2. See Raritätenkabinett #120 for lgs with interrogative pro verbs.3. See a LINGTYP discussion (ca. 2001), initated and summarized by F. Plank, on interrogative pro-ordinal numerals, like ‘the how manieth?’.
1. One could imagine the existence of interrogative pro-adpositions, but according to Katz & Postal (1964: 152, note 29) they cannot exist, whereas Weinreich (1963: 122) thinks this is an open question. (Zaefferer 1990: 227)2. See Raritätenkabinett #120 for lgs with interrogative pro verbs.3. See a LINGTYP discussion (ca. 2001), initated and summarized by F. Plank, on interrogative pro-ordinal numerals, like ‘the how manieth?’.