Resumen de Lexical Variation in Degree wh-questions in Spanish and the Internal Structure of wh-phrases

Luis Eguren

• This paper provides a formal account of the pattern of lexical variation found in adjectival degree wh-questions in current Spanish. It is proposed that Spanish degree wh-forms heading an interrogative clause (cuán ‘how much’, qué tan ‘what so’, cómo de ‘how of’, and cuánto de ‘how much of’) share an internal structure including (at least) two components, a wh-operator and a (degree) variable, which are both phonetically realized in the Old and American Spanish degree wh-expression qué tan. This analysis is extended to the American Spanish nominal wh-form qué tanto(s) ‘what so much/many’ and to the general Spanish manner wh-expression qué tal ‘what such’. It is further argued that all interrogative wh-forms in Spanish comprise a wh-quantifier and an overt or covert variable ranging over different types of entities (individuals, amounts, manners, degrees, etc.), also tentatively suggesting that this could apply across languages.