What is a relativizer?

Definition
	A relativizer is a subordinating conjunction that links a relative clause to its head noun.
	It is distinguishable from a relative pronoun in that it does not have a nominal function within the relative clause.

Example (Hausa)
	na ga mutumin da ya yi aikin I_PERF see the_man RELATIVIZER he_PERF do the_work ‘I saw the man who did the work.’
	Despite the English translation ‘who’, da is not the subject within the relative clause and is not a pronoun.

Generic
	A relativizer is a kind of
	What is a subordinating conjunction?

Source
	Schachter 1985 51

Context for this page:

Concept module: relativizer
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

© 2004 SIL International