Wh-expressions Without Wh-movement
Wh-movement typically occurs to form questions in English. There are, however, at least three circumstances in which wh-movement does not occur in questions (aside from when the question word serves as the subject and so is already fronted): 1) echo questions (to confirm what you thought you heard), 2) quiz questions, and 3) multiple questions, when there is already one wh-word at the front:
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- You bought what!?
- George Orwell was born in which country?
- Who bought what?
While wh-movement is the rule (and these three cases are the exceptions to the rule) in English, other languages may leave wh-expressions in situ (in base position) more often. In French for instance, wh-movement is often optional (as opposed to obligatory) in certain matrix clauses.
Read more about this topic: Wh-movement