Embedding
is that process by which one sentence is embedded as a constituent
in another sentence. Relative clauses are derived by embedding
the constituent sentence as a constituent of the Noun Phrase
of the matrix sentence. So there is a source sentence for
every relative clause. When we examine the component sentences
of a relative clause, we can see identical noun phrases which
are co referential. In the syntactic process, one of them
(i.e., the constituent NP) is deleted. The truncated sentence
functions as an attribute to the head noun. Such attributes
always precede the head noun while other attributes follow
the head noun.
kagoka tun
myu
Kago-gen. kick-nom. man.
‘the man whom Kago kicked’
Another
characteristic found in Apatani relativization is the use of genitive
marker ‘ka’. When the subject noun phrase is relatives,
‘ka’ - the genitive marker - occurs with the object
noun phrase in addition to the accusative marker already present
with it. Besides, the embedded verb is nationalized resulting in
an appositive construction.
o
smi
ka panbo
myu mi
I cattle acc. gen. cut-nom. man acc.
kapato.see-p.t.
‘I saw the man who killed the cattle’
alyi mi ka lanbo
mym
h
aya
pig acc. gen. catch-nom. woman det.
good do. exist
‘the woman who caught the pig is good’
When
the range of reference is restricted (i.e., when a noun is specified)
‘bo’ is added to the nominalized embedded verb. (In the process
of relativization the embedded verb is nominalized by adding ‘ni’).
This specification is found only when the subject is relativized.
Since the embedded verb is nominalized, the head noun is usually
deleted, when it is specified.
o
imilajalo purilajalo m
ci
bisilajalo nasujalo soci.
