Questions introduced by soo-mo Other question words Indirect questions

8 CLAUSAL MODIFICATIONS 223 Finally, afa is also found as a nominal base for a ko-derivation, usually in negative clauses: 235 ingka miina a-ko-afa-afa dont you know I dont have ENIM not 1sI-HAVE-RED-what anything

8.6.4. Questions introduced by soo-mo

A special type of why-question is formed without an overt question word. Instead, the emphasized preposition soo-mo precedes a clause in which the verb is marked with the purpose suffix -ghoo. This question does not ask for information, but is rhetorical. The speaker implies that there is no need to act the way the addressee does or has done. 236 soo-mo dua o-mente-ghoo? why are you so amazed? There for-PF also 2sI-amazed-PURP is no reason to be amazed 237 soo-mo nao-sabha-ghoo randa-mu? why are you worried? There is for-PF 3sI-worried-PURP belly-your no need to be worried 238 soo-mo dua o-s[um]awi-ghoo ne motoro? for-PF also 2sI-go.by-PURP loc motorbike why would you go by motorbike? There is no need for it

8.6.5. Other question words

There are two adverbs in Muna, bhahi and bhara, both meaning perhaps, maybe, possibly that occur very frequently in interrogative clauses, so that they can almost be termed question adverbs. Their function is to reinforce the question character of the clause by expressing wonder or doubt compare Indonesian gerangan. These adverbs also occur in non-interrogative clauses as regular adverbs. Examples: 239 bhara o hae sabhabu-no? what is the reason? maybe ART what reason-its 240 noafa bhara? what could the reason be? why maybe 241 bhara no-nai-nai-si-e hae? whatwho could have sharpened maybe 3sR-RED-sharpen-REP-it what them? 242 nae-mbali bhara a-wogha-e inodi? could I perhaps hit it? 3sI-can maybe 1sI-hit-it I 243 miina a-[m]ande-ha-ane bhahi no-kala ne hamai not 1sI-know-INT-it maybe 3sR-go loc where I do not know where he went See also 8.6.6 for the use of bhahi in indirect questions.

8.6.6. Indirect questions

Indirect questions do not differ syntactically from direct questions. Indirect questions are introduced by complement-taking verbs such as feena ask and 224 A GRAMMAR OF THE MUNA LANGUAGE pande-hao know. It is not uncommon to find the adverb bhahi preceding the embedded question. Although this bhahi seems to fill a kind of complementizer position, it is an adverb indicating doubt and uncertainty. 244 miina na-[m]ande-ha-ane lahae ama-no not 3sI-know-INT-it who father-his he did not know who his father was 245 no-feena-mo bhahi naando ka-amponi do-gaa bhe ana-no 3sR-ask-PF maybe be NOM-forgive 3pR-marry with child-his he asked whether there is forgiveness if one has married ones child 246 ta-[m]ealai bhahi nae-mbali tae-late ne kaghotia 1eI-ask.permission maybe 3sI-can 1eR-live loc beach we ex want to ask permission whether it is possible to live on the beach 247 miina na-ti-pande-hao-a bhahi no-mai-ghoo ne hamadi not 3sI-ACC-know-INT-CL maybe 3sR-come-IO loc where it is not known where he came from For further discussion of juxtaposition and conjoining, see 9.2 and 9.3.

8.6.7. Echo questions