What is what

[john abshire]

I don’t know what kind of tree that is.
Direct question; what kind of tree is that?

What is “what”. In other words, what part of the sentence(s) is “what”? (Subject, object, etc)?, is it the same in both?, and;

in the following sentences (questions), how does it change?
What tree is that?
What is that?

 

[Pacifica]

What is “what”. In other words, what part of the sentence(s) is “what”? (Subject, object, etc)?, is it the same in both?, and;

In both sentences, "what" is used as an adjective to "kind", and the phrase "what kind of tree" is a predicative complement.

(It would be an object if the verb of the sentence were a transitive one, e.g. "what kind of tree do you like?")

in the following sentences (questions), how does it change?
What tree is that?
What is that?

In the first sentence, it's used adjectivally with "tree" (and the whole phrase "what tree" is a predicative complement). In the second, it's used a pronoun on its own (and is a predicative complement).

 

[john abshire]

In both sentences, "what" is used as an adjective to "kind", and the phrase "what kind of tree" is a predicative complement.

(It would be an object if the verb of the sentence were a transitive one, e.g. "what kind of tree do you like?")

In the first sentence, it's used adjectivally with "tree" (and the whole phrase "what tree" is a predicative complement). In the second, it's used a pronoun on its own (and is a predicative complement).

So, “what kind” of tree ….. would be “quod genus”?

And for
“What tree” is that? “Quam arborem?

“What” is that? “Quae”? (Feminine accusative, assuming the question addresses a tree, which is feminine, or does it work that way?). I would thinking at least this last one would be quis or quid. Would “what” in “what is that?” be quid, quid if the thing being addressed was unknown gender?

 

[Pacifica]

So, “what kind” of tree ….. would be “quod genus”?

Yes.

And for
“What tree” is that? “Quam arborem?

Not quite; it would have to be nominative.

“What” is that? “Quae”? (Feminine accusative, assuming the question addresses a tree, which is feminine, or does it work that way?).

It works if you're implying "what (tree)", but if you're asking "what" in general, then it's quid.

 

[john abshire]

Yes.

Not quite; it would have to be nominative.

It works if you're implying "what (tree)", but if you're asking "what" in general, then it's quid.

I was trying to get back and edit my mistake of choosing accusative, remembering predicate complement.

In general, when trying to find the cases and functions of words in a question, direct or indirect; do you turn the question around so it is a statement? Example: “what kind of tree is that?” Turned into a statement: “That is what kind of tree.(?)” So then “that” is the subject, kind is the object (predicate complement). Especially In more complicated questions, if flipping the question to a statement works, it would help me to find the right case for words.

 

[Pacifica]

Yes, flipping the question around can help.

 

[Pacifica]

flipping the question to a statement

Well, "that is what kind of tree" isn't a statement (just a question put in a less usual order). To really turn it into a statement you'd need to replace "what" with another, non-interrogative word (e.g. "that is a kind of tree").

 

[Pacifica]

(But no matter whether the result of the change is a question or a statement; as long as it helps you figure out the grammar, it's good.)