A Typological Overview of Relative Clause Structure in Mesoamerican Languages

Enrique L Palancar (1) , Roberto Zavala Maldonado , Claudine Chamoreau

1 SeDyL - Structure et Dynamique des Langues

In this chapter, we identify what constitutes the canonical profile of relative constructions in the Mesoamerican languages. We propose that the typical Mesoamerican relative clause is a morphosyntactic finite relative clause with a gap, but when the relativized position is that of locative, a relative pronoun is typically used (with this pattern reaching out beyond Mesoamerica). In our proposal, we have identified three structural traits that we take to be Mesoamerican: (i) relative clauses introduced by determiners which agree in deixis with the determiner of the DP in which the domain nominal of the relative clause is embedded; (ii) the so-called ʻpied-piping with inversionʼ introduced by Smith-Stark (1988) for interrogatives that has percolated into relative clause structure; and (iii) headless relative clauses with a gap, that is, headless relative clauses where there is little indication as to the role of the relativized element. 2 CHAPTER 1

Mots clés: Linguistics; RElative Clauses; Syntax; Typology

Domaines: Linguistique

Enrique L Palancar, Roberto Zavala Maldonado, Claudine Chamoreau. A Typological Overview of Relative Clause Structure in Mesoamerican Languages. Relative Clause Structure in Mesoamerica Languages, eds. Enrique Palancar, Roberto Zavala Maldonado, and Claudine Chamoreau., BRILL, pp.1-52, 2021, Relative Clause Structure in Mesoamerica Languages, 1876-5580. ⟨halshs-03409657⟩