Relative Clauses
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چکیده
In this chapter, we examine the typology of relative clauses. We will define relative clauses as follows: (1) A relative clause (RC) is a subordinate clause which delimits the reference of an NP by specifying the role of the referent of that NP in the situation described by the RC. Since the NP whose reference is being delimited is in the matrix clause, we will call it NP mat , and we will call the relative clause itself (which may be reduced or nominal-ized) S rel. In the following examples, NP mat is in italics, and S rel , which may or may not be part of NP mat , is bracketed: (2) a. The book [I bought yesterday] was a trade paperback. b. Somebody lives nearby [who has a CD-burner] In (a), S rel is contained within NP mat , and constrains the referent of this NP to be something which I bought, whereas in (b), S rel occurs at the end of the sentence, and constrains the referent of NP mat (the subject of the whole sentence) to be the owner of a CD-burner. In order to describe a situational role for the referent of NP mat , S rel needs to have a grammatical function associated with that role, which we can call the NP rel function. There may or may not be an overt NP in the RC that expresses NP rel function; in (2b) there is (the 'relative pronoun' who in subject position of the RC), and in (2a) there isn't. In the latter case we can say that the RC contains a 'gap' for the NP rel function (direct object, in this case). Confusing the grammatical and semantic functions of NP rel and NP mat is a common pitfall in studying RCs. For practice, you might try to identify the grammatical relation and semantic roles of NP mat and NP rel in these examples: 1 (3) a. The man [who the dog was biting] was shouting b. The dog bit the man [ who was shouting ] When formulating claims and observations, it's a good idea to double check that you are not confusing the functions of NP rel AND NP mat. The typology of relative clauses is mostly a matter of differences in: (4) a. the structural relationships between S rel and NP mat (for example whether or not S rel is a …
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