Eastern Yiddish Relative Clauses in an Areal Perspective: An Analysis Based on the <i>Language and Culture Atlas of Ashkenazic Jewry</i>

Despite a vast literature on Yiddish relative clauses, their linguistic and geographical aspects have often been neglected. Based data from the Language Culture Atlas of Ashkenazic Jewry (JCAAJ), areal distribution subject oblique clauses is analyzed for first time. I show that vos ‘that; what’, which also introduces non-relative complement most common element to introduce whereas in pronoun velx - ‘which’ predominates. This contrast suggests division labor between nonpronominal pronominal elements depending syntactic role relativized NP. As aspect, accompanied by resumptive personal primarily used Central Eastern Southeastern Yiddish, nonrelative comple-mentizing typical central Northeastern Yiddish. These distributions mirror patterns coterritorial Slavic languages: The more widespread use complementizing reminiscent corresponding Ukrainian ščo Belarusian što ‘what; that’, preference pronouns observed Polish Ukrainian. Comparatively recent convergence with seems play emergence varieties Yiddish.*