Patterns of Relative Clauses in Dagbanli

Abdul-Razak Inusah

doi:10.1177/2158244017692016

Abstract

The article examines the patterns of relative clauses in Dagbanli, a Gur language spoken in northern part of Ghana. It focuses on a range of possible RC patterns, and presents a coherent classification using Vries’s model of RC types. The article argues that Dagbanli has two RC types which are characterized by shared features so “indefinite pronoun” that forms a compound with the nominal root, and maa or la “clause-final determiner.” The first RC type is restricted to cases in which the antecedent has subject function within the RC, and the other RC type occurs only with nonsubjects as relativized head making use of postsubjectival particle ni to mark subordinated clauses. It is proposed that Dagbanli has a postnominal word order of N . . . RC . . . D and allows D-type ([[Subj V Obj] D] RC) in-situ HIRC (Head Internal Relative Clause) as well HERC (Head External Relative Clause). It also presents ŋun “who” and ni “which” as question particles that are used to introduce relative clauses in Dagbanli.

Highlights

Keywords Dagbanli, Gur, ŋun, ni, so According to Saah (2010), “a typical relative clause usually consists of an initial Noun Phrase (NP) followed by the modifying clause which can perform any of the grammatical functions in a sentence” (p. 91)
It shows that the two RC types in Dagbanli are characterized by features represented by so “an indefinite noun class pronoun” and clause-final determiners maa and la
The article illustrates the contrasts between relative clause patterns in Dagbanli according to the differences between relative clauses that can be found on any imaginable aspect of construction based on the RC models described in Vries (2002)

Summary

Introduction

According to Saah (2010), “a typical relative clause usually consists of an initial Noun Phrase (NP) followed by the modifying clause which can perform any of the grammatical functions in a sentence” (p. 91). The Examples 1 and 2 show the possible clause structure patterns in Dagbanli It is clear in Example 2 that the RC is an embedded clause that forms part of an NP as noted by Saah (2010) who states that syntactically or semantically, the typical relative clause usually consists of an initial NP (the antecedent or head) followed by the modifying clause. Together, they make up one complex NP, which can perform any of the grammatical functions in a sentence such as subject and object. “Relative Clauses” section discusses relative clause; “Parametric Variation” section looks at parametric variation of RC (Vries’s model of RC types); “Main Types of Relative Clauses” section discuses types of RC, and “Conclusion” section concludes the article

Background of Dagbanli

Conclusion