Indirect questions

[Xing]

I wonder who's knocking at my door.

I asked him what he did last night.




Wakeu:

E loke a mai nge pwata ta timmu o mai (a mwei).
PRS wonder ERG 1s CMPL knock SG door GEN 1s (ERG who)

Ko loke a mai mo kia nge lemei (mwe) nikku ki nake.
PFV ask ERG DAT 3s CMPL do (what) night LOC before

Interrogatives are optional in indirect questions.

[Toko]

myz nje ysj etshj gavj kvu
[m1z n'e 1s' ets\ gav\ kv\u]
wonder SBJ tap 3S.ANIM door who

jvo nje zho'ylo koda ga dol zho ju
[j\v\o n'e z`oIl`o koda ga dol` z`o j\u]
speak SBJ 3S.M to evening previous use 3S.M about

[DanH34]

Indirect questions

Modifying the vocab a little.

1) I asked who saw the woman.

2) I asked him what he did yesterday.

Zidhgebzhail

1) vy gAlswen kw[oz]il azefa gAin
v-y g-Alswe-n kw-[oz]-il az-ef-a g-Ai-n
1-ABS.SG.M PST-question-SIMPLE SWITCH_REFERENT_Q-[man]-ERG.SG.M woman-ACC.SG-F PST-see-SIMPLE
I asked which-agent/who saw woman.

2) vil zef gAlswen kw[eb]ef vil gisuufwouth gAun.
v-il z-ef g-Alswe-n kw-[eb]-ef v-il gis-uuf-wouth g-Au-n.
1-ERG.SG.M 3-ACC.SG.M PST-question-SIMPLE SWITCH_REFERENT_Q-[thing]-ACC.SG.M 3-ERG.SG.M day-most_recent-INESSIVE.SG.M PST-do-SIMPLE
I asked him which-patient/what he did during last night.

Interrogatives are required, but the verb is not marked as interrogative if the question is indirect.

Compare the above to their direct equivalents. Note that the switch referents have been replaced with interrogative pronominals in the focused position and that the verbs are optionally marked as interrogative.

azefa kw[oz]il [kwy]gAin?

zil gisuufwouth kw[eb]ef [kwy]gAun?

[Lao Kou]

Géarthnuns

Sí la, gü cheths lav cha höilkansat sítenat höikaul sho, buteten.
[si 'la, gy tʃɛθs 'lav tʃa højl'kɑ̃sat si'tɛnat høj'kɔl ʃɔ, bu'tɛtɛn]
1SG-NOM AUX/PRES, CONJ who-NOM AUX/PRES/IMPERS DEF door-ACC my-ACC knock-DISC PTCL, wonder
I wonder who's knocking at my door.

Sí lé söbök, gü söb lé chensat chau hereçkemíarsauv höidravnath sho, néçaf.
[si 'le søbøk, gy søb 'le tʃɛ̃sat tʃɔ hɛɾɛɕkɛmjaɾsɔv høj'dɾavnaθ ʃɔ, 'neɕaf]
1SG-NOM AUX/PAST 3SG-DAT, CONJ 3SG-NOM AUX/PAST what-ACC DEF last.night-LOC do-DISC PTCL, ask
I asked him what he did last night.

[GBR]

(Informal, male)
誰が僕のドアにトントンと叩いているかな
dare ga boku no doa ni tonton to tataiteiru ka na
who SUBJ 1M GEN door at bang-bang CONJ knock.CON Q (agreement particle)*


夕べ何をやてたと彼に聞いた
yuube nani wo yateta to kare ni kiita
last.night what OBJ do.CON.P CONJ he at ask.P

*I wasn't sure whether to gloss this as one particle, which I think is how most native speakers would think of it. ka and na are used together in this way at the end of a sentence to mean almost exactly 'I wonder...'. Another handy sentence final particle brought to you by Japanese.

(If anyone has some good examples of well glossed Japanese, I'd love to see them, by the way. I'm never sure what to do with some things)

[zyx3166]

Roguel:
I wonder who's knocking at my door.
Mutorsutnigekil'asibosam.
door-1SG.GEN-knock-*who-know-EPEN-want-1SG

I asked him what he did last night.
Larneninya hanyizkekceninizkam.
last-night-TEMP do-PAST-3SG-*what-ask-PAST-1SG
*only used in clauses

[Chagen]

Fah klus tang gcrifu nayuyo kekearu.
1SG.NOM wonder who.NOM.SG door-GEN.SG 1SG.POSS-INSTR.SG knock-SUBJ

Fah stuwa kuðtor smū nicaru scįbyo.
1SG.NOM 3M-ACC.SG ask what-NOM.SG do.PRES-SUBJ last.night.INSTR

[Znex]

Attic Greek

1. τίς κόπτει θαυμάζω τὴν θύραν.
INT-M-SG-NOM knock.3SG wonder.1SG DEF-SG-ACC door.SG-ACC
I wonder who's knocking at my door.

2. ἠρόμην αὐτὸν τί ποιήσειε.
ask-AOR.1SG 3P.M-SG-ACC INT-N-SG-ACC do-AOR-OPT.3SG
I asked him what he was doing.

[Bagliun Edar]

I wonder who's knocking at my door.

Obulamga
Azubiajoeldi lomoluinam enalabin. Zleumjoabiloibil.
Lit. Who's knocking at my door. I wonder that.

I asked him what he did last night.

Obulamga
Abameazomdo thamamjoaldi zobilumla enalabun. Zleumjoabilo abameazomdul.
Lit. About that person, what (he) did last night. I asked that person.

Spoiler:

[ˈazubiaʒɔˌɛldi ˈlɔmɔluˌinam ˈɛnaˌlabin]
a-zubia-jo-eldi lomol-u-inam enalabin
PROG-knock-IND.POL-who.NOM door-SG.DEF.NEUT-1POSS-[ACC] PRS

[ˈzlɛumʒɔabilɔˌibil]
zleum-jo-abil-o-ibil
ask-IND.POL-1SG.NOM-that(text)-1SG.REFL

[ˈabamɛaˌzɔmdɔ ˈðamamʒɔˌaldi ˈzɔbiˌlumla ˈɛnaˌlabun]
abam-e-azom-do thamam-jo-aldi zobilum-la enalabun
person-SG.DEF.MASC-3that-TOP do-IND.POL-what.ACC night-adjacent PST

[ˈzlɛumʒɔaˌbilɔ ˈabamɛaˌzɔmdul]
zleum-jo-abil-o abam-e-azom-dul
ask-IND.POL-1SG.NOM-that(text) person-SG.DEF.MASC-3that-DAT

[Lambuzhao]

Attic Greek

1. τίς κόπτει θαυμάζω τὴν θύραν.
INT-M-SG-NOM knock.3SG wonder.1SG DEF-SG-ACC door.SG-ACC
I wonder who's knocking at my door.

2. ἠρόμην αὐτὸν τί ποιήσειε.
ask-AOR.1SG 3P.M-SG-ACC INT-N-SG-ACC do-AOR-OPT.3SG
I asked him what he was doing.

Cave canem!

Θαυμάζειν is more like “I’m amazed”, “I’m surprised”. It’s usually much more emotive and emphatic.
(Maybe you looked out the window and saw the coppers, Godzilla, the IRS, a S.W.A.T. team, La Migra, travelling salesmen, Barney the Purple Dinosaur, etc or someone who would evoke a positive response like Miss Yvonne, Reba the Mailperson, Cap'n Carl, Xingoxa, Chagen, Micamo, Lao Kou, Atman, Magnus Skogvursteinnhammrskjold, Thakowsaizmu, Eldin, the Easter Bunny, Hellboy, santa claus, Aslan, Gandalf the Octarine, etc). You somehow peeked or have some inkling who's there, and it elicited an aesthetic response from you.

Spoiler:

It certainly lost some force over the centuries, but IMHO Θαυμάζειν is a little too piquant & gamey in this context.

Ανερωτάω is more at “ask, inquire about”, and Middle ἀνερωτοῦμαι means “I ask myself; I wonder”. You genuinely have no idea who's at the door with this option.


Κόπτειν is certainly idiomatic Attic for “knock (on the door)”. Combined with Θαυμάζω, though, there’s an element of excessiveness and urgency that might be closer to “knocking down the door, beating down the door”.

Κρούειν (τὴν ϑύραν), by Attic times, was used for “knock on the door” as well, and just means rap on the door to signal entry.


1.a ἀνερωτοῦμαι τίς κρούει;
inquire-MID.PRS.1SG INTERR.M.NOM.SG knock.on.door-PRS.3SG

You might even get away with using a particle like δή to economize-

1.b τίς δὴ κρούει;
INTERR.M.NOM.SG PARTICLE knock.on.door-PRS.3SG
Who's that knocking? (I wonder)
Who's really knocking at the door? (I wonder/ask myself)

---

ἠρωτήσα is a stylistic choice.

2.a ἠρωτήσα αὐτὸν τί ποιήσειε χθὲς νυκτός
ask<AOR>1SG 3SG.M.ACC INTERR.N.ACC do-OPT.AOR.3SG ADV night-GEN.SG


2.b ἠρωτήσα αὐτὸν τί πράξειε χθὲς νυκτός
ask<AOR>1SG 3SG.M.ACC INTERR.N.ACC do-OPT.AOR.3SG ADV night-GEN.SG

I asked him what he did last night

[Dormouse559]

Selvesc:
In indirect questions, the subordinate clause takes the subjunctive, which doesn't distinguish tense. So adding "last night" to the second sentence is a good choice, otherwise it reads as "I asked him what he was doing [at that moment]".

Me vo por quie bata all puort.
[mə ˈvɔ pəɾ ˈki ˈbata al ˈpuɾt]
1SG.OBL go.1SG who knock-PRS_SBJV.3SG at-DEF[OBL.F] door[OBL]
I wonder who's knocking at my door.

Lu són andad por celca facza ieri ser.
[lʊ ˈsɔn anˈdat pəɾ ˈtɕɛlka ˈfatɕa ˈiɾɪ ˈsɛɾ]
3SG.DAT be.1SG go-PST_PTCP for that-REL.OBL do-PRS_SBJV.3SG yesterday night
I asked him what he did last night.

[Lambuzhao]

1. Αναρωτιέμαι ποιος χτυπά την πόρτα
[ã.na.ro.tje.mɛ pjos xti.pa tĩn por.ta]
inquire-MID.PRS.1SG INTERR.M.NOM.SG strike-PRS.3SG DEF.F.ACC.SG door-SG

2. ρώτησα τι έκανε.
[ro.ti.sa ti e.kã.ne]
ask<PST>3SG INTERR.N.ACC.SG <PST>do-3SG

[Lambuzhao]

Çetara

1. Me peto que pujsa lu osçũ.
[mɛ pɛ.to qyɛ pʊj.sa ɫwo.ʂ:ũ]
1SG.ACC ask-PRS.1SG INTERR.M.NOM.SG beat-PRS.3SG DEF.N.ACC.SG door-SG

2.a Se peçü qu facera hiernodt.
[sɛ pe.ʃy ku fa.sɛ.ɾa jeɾ.nɔθ’]

OR

2.b Se peçü qu façaba hiernodt.
[sɛ pe.ʃy ku fa.ʃja.ba jeɾ.nɔθ’]

BOTH:
3SG.M.ACC ask<PFT>1SG INTERR.N.ACC make-SBJV.IMPFT.3SG ADV

[Lambuzhao]

Selvesc:
In indirect questions, the subordinate clause takes the subjunctive, which doesn't distinguish tense. So adding "last night" to the second sentence is a good choice, otherwise it reads as "I asked him what he was doing [at that moment]".

Me vo por quie bata all puort.
[mə ˈvɔ pəɾ ˈki ˈbata al ˈpuɾt]
1SG.OBL go.1SG who knock-PRS_SBJV.3SG at-DEF[OBL.F] door[OBL]
I wonder who's knocking at my door.

Lu són andad por celca facza ieri ser.
[lʊ ˈsɔn anˈdat pəɾ ˈtɕɛlka ˈfatɕa ˈiɾɪ ˈsɛɾ]
3SG.DAT be.1SG go-PST_PTCP for that-REL.OBL do-PRS_SBJV.3SG yesterday night
I asked him what he did last night.

---

Yeah, but don't you have a secondary conjunctive (IMPFT, PLUP) in Selvesc to show anteriority

Spoiler:

Yet?

?

[Dormouse559]

Yeah, but don't you have a secondary conjunctive (IMPFT, PLUP) in Selvesc to show anteriority

Spoiler:

Yet?

?

I have two subjunctives with misleading names, but it's really a telicity distinction. The "present" subjunctive shows that the action was/is/will be successful. The "imperfect" subjunctive shows that action may not be/have been successful. Tense is completely eliminated in the modern Silvish subjunctive.

[Lambuzhao]

Yeah, but don't you have a secondary conjunctive (IMPFT, PLUP) in Selvesc to show anteriority

Spoiler:

Yet?

?

I have two subjunctives with misleading names, but it's really a telicity distinction. The "present" subjunctive shows that the action was/is/will be successful. The "imperfect" subjunctive shows that action may not be/have been successful. Tense is completely eliminated in the modern Silvish subjunctive.

Telicity - Wow Kewl.

Could you do secondary conjunctive periphrastically (with an auxilliary verb + PTCP)?

[Dormouse559]

Telicity - Wow Kewl.

I know, right?

Could you do secondary conjunctive periphrastically (with an auxilliary verb + PTCP)?

At the moment, no. But like everything in a conlang, that's subject to change.

[Lambuzhao]

Telicity - Wow Kewl.

I know right.

Could you do secondary conjunctive periphrastically (with an auxilliary verb + PTCP)?

At the moment, no. But like everything in a conlang, that's subject to change.

Ain't that the truth!

[Micamo]

Haneko

mataporo pikane wato awari he wa
m-atapo-ro pika-ne wato awa-ri he w-a
1s.P-door-POSSD tap-NOM.NMLZ COG see-ACT.NMLZ DESID 1s.A-be
I wonder who's knocking at my door.

ikari hoki yamaro konaro he wikako
i-ka-ri hoki yama-ro konaro he w-ika-ko
ACC.NMLZ-do-ACT.NMLZ evil time-POSSD yesterday DESID 1s.A-say-REC.WIT
I asked him what he did last night.