Marina Stoyanova, Unique focus: Languages without multiple wh-questions (Linguistik Aktuell/Linguistics Today123). Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins, 2008. Pp. vii+184 (original) (raw)

This paper critiques Marina Stoyanova's monograph that explores the structures of languages devoid of multiple wh-questions, specifically examining Somali, Berber, Italian, and Irish. The analysis utilizes a Minimalist approach rooted in generative linguistics and introduces concepts such as the 'Head-Adjacency Generalisation' and 'Uniqueness Hypothesis.' While asserting its relevance to typological classifications, the review highlights potential flaws in the author's assumptions and the challenge of simultaneously defining multiple wh- and non-multiple wh-question languages.