Revisiting Some Interrogative Questions in Arabic
Omar Okasha, Languages Center, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan.
Abstract
This study seeks to revisit four interrogative questions in Arabic. For question one, the study called in the perceptional interrogation to discern between a perception created by the interrogative hamza article and the other created by other articles such as
[ مَنْ man, ما maa, مَتى mataa...]. For the other question, and on ground of few evidence, the study has given weight to the argument that the credence-interrogation originally comes with no article.
In question three, the study addressed, discussed and explained a shift made by article [هَلْ hal] from credence to perception providing exemplifying examples. This study supports the argument that article [هَلْ hal] has been commonly used in the context of perceptional interrogation which motivated Arabic speakers to couple unconsciously between [?a…?am أ... أم...., hal…?am هل... أم... and hal-?aw هل .. أو ...]. In the fourth question, reconsidered the issue of "conjuncture's" inability to precede the interrogative hamza article" [?awaأوَ , ?afaأَفَـ ] attempting to criticize more classical arguments, presenting instead what is hypothesized as more plausible argument.