Polar interrogatives in Lɛtɛ Discourse

Abstract

The use of special intonation patterns, interrogative particles, the addition of tags, disjunctive structures, a change in the order of constituents, and particularly verbal inflection are among strategies for forming polar questions. This paper describes the use of a special intonation pattern, the use of interrogative tags in tandem with a special intonation pattern, and the use of question particles in conjunction with a special intonation pattern to form polar questions in Lɛtɛ. The paper further discusses social norms governing the use of polar interrogatives in Lɛtɛ discourse. Lɛtɛ is a less-studied South-Guan language of the Kwa family of Ghana. Data for this study form part of a larger database collected in the speech community – Larteh. Praat was used to analyse the pitch patterns of the polar questions informants produced. The paper demonstrates that Lɛtɛ polar interrogatives are marked by a sharp falling intonation and not a rising intonation as claimed in prior studies.