Niw Englisch/Grammar/Questions

In Niw Englisc, you can ask questions in two ways: by inverted word order, or by using question words.

Normal word order is S-V-O, but inverted order is V-S-O. a æ b c d ð e f g ȝ h ƕ i j k l m n o œ p q r s t þ u v w x y z For example:

Þu færst todæȝ. You are driving today. Inverted: Færst þu todæȝ? Are you driving today?

Using a question word: Ƕa færþ þein Auto? Who is driving your car? Ƕider gaaþ wiȝ nu? Whither are we going now? or Where are we going now?

Question Words:

• Ƕa (ƕas, ƕam, ƕan): who?
• Ƕat (ƕas, ƕam, ƕat): what?
• Ƕilc (ƕilces, ƕilcem, ƕilcen, etc): which?
• Ƕæðer (~es, ~em, ~en, etc): which of two?
• Ƕær: where?
  • whither, to where: ƕider
  • whence, from where: ƕanen

Like ƕær, þær and hier have similar forms:

• hider: hither, to here
• hanen: hence, from here
• þider: thither, to there
• þanen: thence, from there

Examples:

• Who?
  • Who is standing there? Ƕa stændþ þær?
  • Whose book is this? Ƕas Bok is þisse?
  • Whom did she help? Ƕam halp scie?
  • Whom did you find? Ƕan fandest þu?
• What?
  • What is sitting there? Ƕat sittþ þær?
  • Whose book is this? Ƕas Bok is þisse?
  • Whom did she help? Ƕam halp scie?
  • What did you find? Ƕat fandest þu?

Note: question words cannot be used as relative pronouns. For example:

• I know who bought the book: ic waat, þe þie Bok bohte.
• you know whom you gave the book þu waast, þem þu þie Bok gafst
• she found out whither her mother went scie fandest ut, þider her Moder ging
• y'all saw where the book was put ȝiȝ sawen, þær þie Bok gestalld warþ