Clause typing in Frisian : A questionnaire and its results

Abstract

The questionnaire investigates the functional left periphery of various finite clauses in Frisian, with particular attention paid to clause-typing elements and the combinations thereof. The questionnaire is mostly concerned with clause typing in embedded clauses, especially in relative clauses, but main clause counterparts are also considered for comparative purposes. The chief aim was to achieve comparable results with other Germanic languages, though the standardised questionnaire may also be helpful in the study of other languages, too. Most questions examine the availability of various complementisers and clause-typing operators, and in some cases the movement of verbs to the left periphery is also taken into account. The questionnaire is split into six major parts according to the types of clauses under scrutiny.All instructions were given in English and the individual questions either concern translations of given sentences from English into Frisian, and/or they ask for specific details about the constructions in Frisian. The present document contains the questionnaire itself (together with the instructions given at the beginning of the questionnaire and at the beginning of the individual sections, as well as the questions asking for personal data), the sociolinguistic data of the speakers, and the actual results for Frisian. Two informants were recruited. Given the small number of informants, the present study serves as a qualitative investigation and as a basis for further, quantitative and experimental studies.