4. SYNTAX
Correlative markers
vah vah vao ve ]sa us ]na un
The relative marker begins with a ja /j/ sound, whereas correlative
markers begin with va / v/ and ] /u/ sounds. In the direct case, the
noun is not followed by a postposition and when it is, it is in the
oblique case. The relative and correlative markers change for the
number and case of the noun. The forms are as follows.
Direct
Relative Pronouns Correlative Pronouns
Sg Pl Sg Pl
jaao jo jaao jo vah vah vao ve
Oblique
ijasa jis ijana jin ]sa us ]na un
ijasao jise ijanhoM jinhẽ ]sao use ]nhoM unhẽ
ijasakao jisko ijanakao jinko ]sakao usko ]nakao unko
ijasasao jisse ijanasao jinse ]sasao usse ]nasao unse
ijasanao jisne ijanhaoMnao jinhõne ]sanao usne ]nhaoMnao unhõne
In the examples given below, the symbol Ø indicates the presumed
site of relativized and head NP prior to deletion.
- jaao laD,ka idllaI maoM rhta hO vah Ø maora Baa[- hO.
jo larka: dilli mẽ rahta: h ́ vah Ø mera: bha:i: h ́.
rel boy Delhi-loc live-ptc is cor -Ø my brother is
The boy, who lives in Delhi, is my brother.
Sentence (1) consists of two clauses which share an identical and co-
referential noun phrase.
Main clause:
laD,ka maora Baa[- hO.
larka: mera: bha:i: h ́.
The boy is my brother.