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26_Relative Clauses

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26_Relative Clauses

Grammatical Concept: Pre-Nominal Embedding

Asaxi handles Relative Clauses (e.g., “The man who saw me”) by treating the entire clause as a Complex Adjective embedded within the Noun Phrase.

Unlike English, which places the clause after the noun (“The book that I read”), Asaxi places it before the noun. Crucially, the Determiner (onă / onýj) acts as the Anchor, signaling the start of the complex phrase.

1. Syntactic Structure

Formula:

[Determiner] + [Relative Clause Verb Phrase] + [Head Noun]

  • The Anchor: The Determiner (onă, onýj, or anő) appears first. It agrees with the Head Noun.
  • The Clause: Placed immediately after the determiner and before the noun.

2. Types of Clauses

A. Subject Relative (“The one who…“) The Head Noun is the Subject of the relative verb.

  • English: “The person who departed.”

  • Asaxi: Onă [zèxoxo] shá.

    • Structure: DEF.WARM [PAST-depart] person.
    • Lit: “The [departed] person.” B. Object Relative (“The thing that…“) The Head Noun is the Object of the relative verb.

  • English: “The book that John reads.”

  • Asaxi: Onýj [John shěsonů] shěso.

    • Structure: DEF.COLD [John reads] book.
    • Lit: “The [John-reads] book.” C. Oblique Relative (“The place where…“) The Head Noun is an oblique argument (Location, Tool, etc.).

  • English: “The library where I read.”

  • Asaxi: Onýj [wo shěsonů] shěsokam.

    • Lit: “The [I-read] library.” (Context implies “at which”).

3. Disambiguation

In the Standard Register, ambiguity is impossible because of the Position of the Determiner.

  1. Start of Phrase: When a listener hears a Determiner (onýj), they expect a Noun Phrase.
  2. Nested Verb: If a verb follows the determiner instead of a noun, the listener knows it is a Modifier (a Relative Clause), not the main verb of the sentence.
  3. End of Phrase: The Head Noun eventually appears to close the bracket.

Example:

Onýj [shěsonů] shěso toponů. DEF.COLD [reads] book falling Analysis: Onýj opens the NP. Shěsonů modifies shěso. Toponů is the main verb. Meaning: “The book that is read is falling.”

Disambiguation vs. Gerunds

Since anő + Verb can also form a Gerund (e.g., anő shěsonů “A reading”), the listener waits for the next word.

  • If the phrase ends there → Gerund.
  • If a Noun follows → Relative Clause.

Minimal Pair:

To wo [anő shěsonů] jå. “I want a reading.” (Gerund). To wo [anő shěsonů] shěso jå. “I want a book that is read.” (Relative Clause).

4. Interaction with Particles

The Relative Clause can contain its own internal particles (Negative, Tense, Causative).

  • Negative: Onă [shěsonůná] shá... (“The person who does not read…”).
  • Tensed: Onă [pazèxoxo] shá... (“The person who will have left…”).

Example Sentences

1. Context: Identifying a specific item.

Onýj [To John zètopu] shěso ksi? DEF.COLD [SUBJ John PAST-drop] book where “Where is the book that John dropped?”

2. Context: Conditional Consequence.

Onýj [John shěsonů] shěso chěná, wo pashěsonů. DEF.COLD [John reads] book UNLESS, 1SG, FUT-read “Unless it is the book that John reads, I will read it.” (Lit: If-not the [John-reads] book…)

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