Position of "already" in interrogative sentences

[Kolridg]

I have read that by placing "already" at the end in interrogative sentences we gain more emphasis on it compared if it was placed at the beginning. However, I know that generally in English it is quite the way round -- the closer adverb is placed to the beginning of the sentence the more emphasis we get on it? That is, it must be a kind of exception of the rules?

https://www.crownacademyenglish.com/use-meaning-already/

“already” in end position​

We can place “already” at the end of a sentence for more emphasis or to show more surprise.
This is more common in questions and in informal speech.
We raise our voice a bit more than usual at the end of the question on the word “already” in order to express the feeling of surprise.

Examples:

Have they already sold their house? (surprised)
Have they sold their house already? (very surprised)

 

[Barque]

Have they already sold their house? (surprised)
Have they sold their house already? (very surprised)

I don't know that it's an indicator of extent of surprise. They could mean slightly different things.

 

[jutfrank]

Have they already sold their house? (surprised)

That's not at the beginning of the sentence. It's in what I call the 'sandwich' position, between the auxiliary and main verbs. The sandwich position is what you can think of as the 'default' position for this kind of adverb. If you remove any adverb from its default position, the effect is that you bring some kind of focus to it. This focus may or may not be emphatic.

I know that generally in English it is quite the [other] way round -- the closer adverb is placed to the beginning of the sentence the more emphasis we get on it? That is, it must be a kind of exception of the rules?

I don't quite understand what you mean or why you think this. When you say 'the beginning of the sentence', do you mean the 'sentence-initial' position?

I've already finished. [default (mid) position]
I've finished already. [sentence-end position]
Already I've finished. [sentence-initial position]

(If you're thinking about the general principle that by 'fronting' an element (taking it from its default to position to the front position) you can bring it into focus, then yes, that's quite right. But you can also focus on an element by making it the last thing you mention.)

 

[Kolridg]

I don't quite understand what you mean or why you think this. When you say 'the beginning of the sentence', do you mean the 'sentence-initial' position?

I've already finished. [default (mid) position]
I've finished already. [sentence-end position]
Already I've finished. [sentence-initial position]

No, I don't mean just the sentence-initial position. When I say "beginning of the sentence" I am thinking of it in a broad sense. So default position also refers to "the beginning of the sentence". That is, I mean positions that are definitely are not "end-positions", saying "the beginning of the sentence".

(If you're thinking about the general principle that by 'fronting' an element (taking it from its default to position to the front position) you can bring it into focus, then yes, that's quite right.

I guess this must be true for example like this? That is, I assume that the second sentence suggests more probability that the thing will happen?

1) This will definitely happen.
2) This definitely will happen.

But you can also focus on an element by making it the last thing you mention.)

Noted.

 

[jutfrank]

1) This will definitely happen.
2) This definitely will happen.

We're going slightly off topic now but this is a good example to work with.

Position 1 is the default position (the sandwich position, as I've called it.) Position 2, being out of the default position, works to emphasise the auxiliary will. In speech, will is stressed in a way that it isn't in position 1. The emphatic focus on will doesn't really mean there's more probability that the thing will happen—it's likely a way to emphasise the conviction of the speaker in the truth of his statement.

A: I don't think this will happen.
B: Trust me—this definitely will happen.

Hopefully, you can see how the auxiliary will is being stressed to contradict what speaker A has just said. The stressed will expresses more certainty in B's future prediction. The placement of the adverb definitely before it allows that to work effectively.