The syntax of relative clauses in Lalo Yi

Abstract

In Lalo Yi (Tibeto-Burman), there are three different types of relative clauses (RCs), namely, head-initial, head-internal, and head-final. The relativizer in H-initial RCs serves as a nominalizer, which nominalizes an unsaturated relative clause and turns it into an argument (in the form of a Determiner Phrase (DP)), and the relative head noun combines with the DP via the process of variable restriction. The relativizer in H-internal RCs also serves as a nominalizer, which nominalizes a saturated clause and accesses the patient argument as the denotation of the nominalized clause. The relativizer in H-final RCs serves as a modification marker, and in this case the relative head noun does not allow NP-ellipsis.