Abstract
Relative Clauses (RCs) have been described and classified according to many different criteria (Sect. 1). This article deals with the distinctions that can be observed within the variety of English RCs in terms of phonological shape, syntactic structure, semantic content, presuppositions and thematic structure of the utterance. A classification of RCs is proposed, which is based upon criteria of all different levels (Sect. 2). The aim is to provide a way to characterize as precisely as possible the functional features of any RC in correlation with its formal features. The classification is then applied to an analysis of the often stated equivalence between RCs and other kinds of linguistic constituents, leading to the recognition of the different types of RCs that are functionally equivalent to adjectives, participles, prepositional phrases and coordinated sentences (Sect. 3). A further application proposed is the comparison between the functional and formal features of English and Italian RCs (Sect. 4).
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
