Relative Clause in Gawwada
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Date
2010-09
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The thesis deals with relative clause in Gawwada. The study focuses on the description of
facts in the formation of the relative clause in the language. Accordingly, the necessary
data are collected, and the analysis is carried on the bases of the typological parameters of
the relative clauses as (Keenan and Comrie 1977, Keenan 1985, Downing 1978, Payne
1997) states.
Gawwada relative clauses are external headed and postnominal type. The relative clause
follows either a head nominal or a pronominal particle. Besides, there are two types of
relative clauses in Gawwada: restrictive and non restrictive. The difference of the two
types of relative clauses is mainly based on their modification relation to the head noun
and intonation breaks.
The strategy of relativization in various relativized NP positions, i.e., in subjects, objects
(direct and indirect), oblique complements and possessor NP positions have also been
examined. In relation to this, the accessibility hierarchy of the relative clause formation
proposed by Keenan and Comrie (1977) has been justified in Gawwada. The strategy that
is employed in the formation of relative clause in Gawwada has to be pro in situ in
subject, object (direct and indirect) and oblique complement relativization, as in the case
of Oromo (Baye 1987), Gumuz (Assfaw 1983), Chaha ( alemayehu 1990) and Silti
( Rawda 2003) and pronoun retention strategy in relativization of possessor NPs.
Moreover, the study examines the property of verbs in Gawwada. Thus, in Gawwada,
there are two forms of verbs: the perfective and the imperfective verbs. Both the
perfective and the imperfective verbs drop preverbal subject marker in relative clause
formation.
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focuses on the description of, facts in the formation of the relative clause