Coordinated wh-questions: A response to Bošković (2022)

Citko B., GRACANIN YÜKSEK M.

Journal of Slavic Linguistics, vol.33, no.FASL 32, 2025 (ESCI) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Abstract
  • Volume: 33 Issue: FASL 32
  • Publication Date: 2025
  • Doi Number: 10.1353/jsl.2025.a969999
  • Journal Name: Journal of Slavic Linguistics
  • Journal Indexes: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Scopus, IBZ Online, American Bibliography of Slavic & Eastern European Studies (ABSEES), Communication & Mass Media Index, Linguistic Bibliography, Linguistics & Language Behavior Abstracts, MLA - Modern Language Association Database
  • Keywords: coordinated wh-questions, islands, multiple wh-fronting, superiority
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Bošković (2022) challenges the claim from Citko & Gračanin-Yuksek (2013) that mono-clausal Coordinated Wh-Questions (mCWHs) and multiple wh-questions without coordination are derived through the same mechanism: multiple wh-fronting. This claim predicts that the two constructions behave the same with respect to superiority, which Bošković calls into question. We show that the analysis of Coordinated Wh-Questions in Citko & Gračanin-Yuksek (2013) does derive the parallelism between the two constructions with respect to superiority with one additional assumption: that the sidewards movement of wh-phrases happens late in the derivation. This assumption also derives the sensitivity of mCWHs to islands. We also present some empirical challenges for Bošković’s analysis.