Adverbial and Argument-Doubling Clauses in Cree - MSpace

clauses are in fact separate clauses fiom the matrix verb. If they were not, we would
expect the wh-phrase to appear initially in the matrix clause.
Examples of A-doubling Wh-clauses are given in (5 1) and (52). Each
subordinate clause has a clause-initial Wh-phrase, tânitê 'where' in (51) and tanêhki 'why'
(51) nikiskênihtên [tânitê ch kâ-itôhtêt].
1 - know. TI-( 1 -inan) where John cj-go. Al-3
'I know where John went. '
(52) nikî-wihtamâk ch [tânêhki kâ-O hci-sipwèhtênit mèfiwa]
I-pst-tell.TA-(3-1)John-3why cj-away-1eave.N-3' Mary-3'
'John told me why Mary left. '
Example (53) below compares two sentences which differ in the placement of the Wh-
phrase. (53a) has the Wh-phrase at the beginning of the subordinate clause, while (53b)
places the Wh-phrase in the sentence-initial position. with the rest of the subordinaie
clause following the matrix verb. Only (53a) is a grammatical sentence. Presurnably,
(53b) would be acceptable if the matrix verb ritkiskG)~imâw '1 know him' was in the
conjunct form, as the wh-phrase would then be clause-initial in a conjunct verb clause.
But, as it stands, (53 b) is not acceptable if the Wh-phrase is to be constmed with the
subordinate verbal cornplex i-sipwéhtêt 'that he(prox) lefi'.
(53) a. nikiskènimâw awênr ê-sipwêhtêt.
1 -know.TA-( 1-3) who cj-1eave.N-3
'1 know who it is that lefi.'
b. * awêna nikiskênimâw Gsipwêhtêt.
who 1-know.TA-(l-3)cj-1eave.A.I-3