Re: Creative ways to form relative clauses?

Ph.D. wrote (edited):
> My conlang Utega follows the form of some Austro-
> nesian languages..... The rule is that the headword of a relative clause must be
> the subject of that clause....
What a coincidence. That's how Prevli works. I don't have the energy just now to
dig out examples from the files, but basically:

"I hate the man who hit me yesterday" would be translated
Hate I-him OBJ-def man REL hit(ACT.) he-me yesterday.

"I hate the man who(m) my brother hit"
Hate I-him OBJ-def man REL hit-PASS by-brother-my

This is similar, of course, to Indonesian/Malay....

It's also possible to relativize on other constituents:

"...the man from whom I received the money"
...man REL from-him received(act.) I-it def money

This RC could be in the passive:
"...the man from whom the money was received"
...man REL from-him money received-PASS {no agent) == but if there were an agent in
the RC, then it would have to be an active verb, just like the previous ex.
Thus "...the men by whom our house was built" has to be active: ...men REL
built(act.) they-it we POSS-our house

and there's a special passive form required for datives ("...to whom I gave...")
"I didn't know the man to whom I gave the money"
Neg know-past I-him Obj-def man REL give-Pass-Past-DAT money by-me

Reply