Chapter 12
Extraction processes
12.1 Relativization
There are two cross-cutting axes of differentiation within relative clauses. The
first is that between definite and indefinite relative clause. This is a
fundamental distinction and has an effect on the form of the verb inside the
relative clause. The second distinction is between subject, object, and
prepositional relative, based on the syntactic role of the NP in the embedded
clause that is coindexed with the head. Subject relatives are expressed with
participles. Non-subject relatives are expressed with ordinary verbs, subject to
certain modifications in ablaut features and accent.
It is customary in cross-linguistic syntactic theory to speak of a head noun
(or NP), e.g. 'dog' in 'the dog that I saw'. In Tamashek relatives, it is more
useful to speak of the clause-internal head within the relative clause itself. In
a definite relative clause, this internal head is a demonstrative, with definite
reference, that is prosodically part of the relative clause rather than part of a
NP with the preceding noun. The demonstrative is appositional to the head
NP (if the latter is overt). In definite relative clauses, the unmarked
demonstrative is the Proximate with stem -ά.
In the case of an indefinite relative clause, the internal head is the head
noun itself, or (in the absence of a head noun) an indefinite demonstrative
with stem -Ί. In indefinite relatives there is no apposition since the head is
represented only in its relative-clause-internal manifestation.
Any clitics present within a relative clause proper are hosted by the
internal head. In other words, in indefinite relatives the clitics attach to the
head noun (or indefinite demonstrative if there is no head noun), while in
definite relatives the clitics attach to the definite demonstrative. This justifies
the view that this head is internal to the relative clause (whereas a head noun in
a definite relative is external to the relative clause).
The two constructions are therefore those in (708). The ordering of clitics
and preverbs will be discussed in more detail in later sections.
(708) Structure of Definite and Indefinite Relatives (with internal head
bolded)a. definite relative:
(headnoun/NP) [Dem(definite) (clitics) (preverb) Verb...]
or:
pronoun(lst/2nd) [Dem(definite) (clitics) (preverb) Verb...]