What is a relative clause?

Definition
	A relative clause is a clause which describes the referent of a head noun or pronoun.
	It often restricts the reference of the head noun or pronoun.

Discussion

A relative clause is not necessarily a constituent of the noun phrase containing the head noun it modifies.

Example
	The plumber arrived who we had called earlier. (Who we had called earlier has been extraposed from its normal position after plumber and is not a member of the noun phrase containing plumber.)

Examples (English)

Source:

Comrie 1989 143–144

Kinds
	Here are some kinds of relative clauses:
	What is an external relative clause? What is an internal relative clause? What is a nonrestrictive relative clause? What is a restrictive relative clause?

Generic
	A relative clause is a kind of
	What is a clause? What is a subordinate clause?

Sources
	Hartmann and Stork 1972 5, 195
	Pei and Gaynor 1954 6
	Crystal 1980 303
	Thompson and Longacre 1985 172
	Keenan 1985 141–142
	Mish 1991 994
	Quirk, Greenbaum, Leech, and Svartvik 1985 1245
	Comrie 1989 142–144

Concept module: relative clause
In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): R
In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004