关键词: 现代汉语, 疑问句, 焦点

Abstract: There are focuses in all yes-or-no questions, but some focuses are difficult to be found without context. If there is only one wh-word in wh-questions, there will be one focus. If more than one, there will be more. And these focuses can be coordinate. In positive and negative questions, the focus always lies in ‘positive X negative X’. In alternative questions, the focus can be a constituent in the clause, and sometimes also the whole clause. If a wh-word is embedded into a special construction, it will be de-focused and the construction will not convey question any longer.

Key words: interrogatives in modern Chinese, focus