Embedding
: 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, on eof 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 headnoun.
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 relativized,
‘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 nominalized resulting in
an appositive construction.
o
s
mi 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 ‘n’).
This specification is found only when the subject is relativized.
Since the embedded verb is nominalized, the headnoun is usually
deleted, when it is specified.
o
imilajalo purilajalo m
ci
bisilajalo nasujalo soci.
