Mandarin Question Particles #
Lexical entries for Mandarin interrogative particles as Particle values.
Bias profiles (ba's speaker-bias requirement, nandao's evidential
requirement) are analytical classifications and live with the analysis
that assigns them, in Zheng2025 — alongside the left-peripheral layer
assignments.
Particles #
| Particle | Gloss | Restriction |
|---|---|---|
| 吗 ma | PQ marker | polar + wh |
| 吧 ba | TAG/confirm | polar only |
| 难道 nándào | NANDAO | polar only |
Cross-Module Connections #
Zheng2025: bias profiles, layer assignments,Kernel.nandaoFelicitous
吗 ma — unmarked polar question particle. Sentence-final; turns a
declarative into a yes/no question. Bias-neutral (see Zheng2025).
Equations
- One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
Instances For
吧 ba — confirmation-seeking particle. Speaker expects a positive
answer and seeks confirmation, comparable to English tag questions
("It's raining, isn't it?"). Its speaker-bias requirement lives in
Zheng2025.
Equations
- One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
Instances For
难道 nándào — evidential question particle: marks that the speaker has
encountered unexpected contextual evidence supporting the prejacent;
compatible with a neutral epistemic state (pure inquiry use, [Zhe25]
ex. 3). Canonically clause-initial (post-subject placement possible).
Polar-only — the contrast with wh-compatible denn lives in Theiler2021.
Its evidential requirement lives in Zheng2025.
Equations
- One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.