This book puts forth a novel syntactic and semantic analysis of wh-questions based upon in-depth study of the Tlingit language, an endangered and under-documented language of North America. A major consequence of this new approach is that the phenomenon classically dubbed pied-piping does not actually exist. The book begins by arguing that wh-fronting in Tlingit does not involve a syntactic relationship between interrogative C and the wh-word. Rather, it involves a probe/Agree relation between C and an overt ‘Q-particle’ (or ‘Q’) c-commanding the wh-word. Fronting of the wh-word in Tlingit is ... More

This book puts forth a novel syntactic and semantic analysis of wh-questions based upon in-depth study of the Tlingit language, an endangered and under-documented language of North America. A major consequence of this new approach is that the phenomenon classically dubbed pied-piping does not actually exist. The book begins by arguing that wh-fronting in Tlingit does not involve a syntactic relationship between interrogative C and the wh-word. Rather, it involves a probe/Agree relation between C and an overt ‘Q-particle’ (or ‘Q’) c-commanding the wh-word. Fronting of the wh-word in Tlingit is thus a mere by-product of fronting the QP projected by this Q. Given the strong similarity between the wh-constructions of Tlingit and those of more widely studied languages, this ‘Q-based’ analysis is applied to a range of other languages. Regarding so-called pied-piping structures, the Q-based theory provides an analysis in which the very concept of ‘pied-piping’ is eliminated from the theory of grammar. Furthermore, the account provides an especially minimal semantics for pied-piping structures, in which no mechanisms are needed beyond those required for simple wh-questions. Finally, the Q-based theory is able to capture certain constraints on pied-piping, as well as aspects of its variation across languages. Beyond its treatment of pied-piping, the Q-based theory also yields a novel syntax and semantics for multiple wh-questions that ties the presence of Superiority Effects to the absence of Intervention Effects. Furthermore, the account predicts a previously unnoticed Intervention Effect in English pied-piping structures. Finally, the Q-based theory provides a novel account of the ill-formedness of P-stranding and left branch extractions in many of the world’s languages.