Date:  Thu, 11 Dec 1997 11:15:58 -0500 (EST)
Message-Id: <199712111615.LAA21102@locke.ccil.org>
Reply-To: And Rosta <a.rosta@UCLAN.AC.UK>
Sender: Lojban list <LOJBAN@CUVMB.BITNET>
From: And Rosta <a.rosta@UCLAN.AC.UK>
Organization: University of Central Lancashire
Subject:      Re: On logji lojbo discussions
X-To:         LOJBAN@cuvmb.cc.columbia.edu
To: John Cowan <cowan@LOCKE.CCIL.ORG>
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X-From-Space-Date: Thu Dec 11 11:16:00 1997
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Jorge to Lojbab:
> >in English at least, we cannot ask the
> >direct question with "wehether" "*Whether you go to the store?"
>
> "Whether" is a pronoun???
>
> In any case, who said anything about using it for direct questions?

As it happens, I am currently working on a paper that inter alia
argues that what phonologically is "Did you go to the store?"
is syntactically "Whether did you go to the store".

Also, there is quite a good case for taking "whether" to be
a pronoun. Interrogative clauses have the distribution of
nominal phrases.

(I'm not trying to engage anyone here in debate about this.
I'm just chatting)

--And