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Interrogative pronouns

The basic interrogative pronoun is:

• what / who: šæ

It displays a complete declension, with the nominal declension endings. Unlike other pronouns, the basic case form is used when referring to inanimate entities (what?), while the direct case form is used when referring to animate entities (who?). Plural forms are scarcely used.

šæ æpjixu ojh ʎiloɸjiθu?
what do you see?

šæl‘ æpjixu ojh ʎiloɸjiθu?
whom do you see?

The oblique case form is normally used unregarding any animacy. However, when this form is used without prepositions, it takes the meaning of the indirect object, referring to an animate entity (to whom?):

šæha æpjixu ojh kobæciθu æl‘ pičɛl‘?
whom did you give water to?

There are also other interrogative pronouns (and adverbs):

• šæθucær: where (static location)
• šæθuxa: where (motion toward)
• šæθusu: where... from (motion form)
• šæhu: why (cause)
• šæju: when
• šæminɛ: how much
• šæmæc: how

There are also the following interrogative adjectives:

• šæxul‘: which
• šæminɛxul‘: how much / many

Such adjectives, like the demonstrative adjectives, tend to be placed before their nouns and they are never used with the article. Moreover, they lack any form in the basic case.

šæminɛxunol‘ jažɛnol‘ æpjixu toθiræh?
how many sheep do you have?

Within an interrogative clause, pronouns usually are usually moved at the beginning of the sentence. Their syntactical position is regarded as extremely marked. In addition, like other parts of the sentences, they can be introduced by prepositions:

gu šæha ojh cæžɛbugjiθu?
whom are you talking about?