Stephen van Vlack

Sookmyung Women`s University

Graduate school of TESOL

Approaches to English Grammar

Spring 2005

Notes and comments on Yule Explaining English Grammar Chapter 9: Relative Clauses.

     We should thank Yule for trying to help us figure out how relative clauses work, but he really doesn`t tell us anything new or shocking. What he does do well is give us a nice little description of how relative clauses work.

Here is some semantic information about relative clauses.

Relative clauses are either restrictive or non-restrictive.

Restrictive relative clauses define or restrict the antecedent noun. They help to identify or classify the person or thing being talked about.

Non-restrictive relative clauses give extra, but unnecessary, information about the antecedent.

     EG. B. Be kind to those who need your help.

     EG. A. The doctor, who had his dog with him, came to visit us yesterday.

This meaning difference also works it`s way into a structural difference. Non-restrictive clauses are usually separated by their antecedent through the use of a comma. According to the idea of linguistic distance the comma signals the conceptual difference between the clause and its antecedent.

     EG. C. We found John looking carefully at the pictures that were on the back wall.

     EG. D. We found John looking carefully at the pictures, that were black and white.

Here is some basic structural information about relative clauses.

Relative clauses are located either medially or finally. Where they are located depends on what part of the main clause they are modifying. If the relative clause is modifying the subject of the main clause, then it comes medially.

     EG. A. The man who owns the restaurant down the street is my good friend.

Medial relative clauses also carry given (old) information.

     EG. The man who has the brown spot on his head decided to go to the doctor.

Medial relative clauses tend to be shorter.

     EG. Betty claims the man she saw was short and fat.

If the relative clause is modifying the object of the main clause then it comes finally.

     EG. B. Harry is the man who owns the restaurant down the street.

Final relative clauses are much more common than their medial counterparts and carry new information.

     EG. Our friend Betty has a new dog which is very cute.

Final relative clauses tend to be longer.

     EG. Desmond wants to buy a clock that he can hang on the wall in his living room.

According to Yule, there are four different relative pronouns which can be distinguished according to their use. They are: Subject relatives, Object relatives, After-preposition relatives, and Possessive relatives.

Yule then goes on to talk about the actual relative pronouns and how they are used.

who - Subset of whom (object) and whose (possessive)

This is normally used for human or human-like antecedents in subject clauses. They are often used for general reference and classifying.

                  EG. Betty loves the man who lives next door.

                  Eg. Betty is the woman whom the man next door wants to marry

                  EG. Betty is a doctor whose help john can always count on.

which - This is normally used for nonhuman or non-human-like antecedents.

                  EG. Ginger hit the car which cut her off.

that/Ø - This is neutral. It is used when no differentiation is required as to the nature of the antecedent.

                  EG. Bill got a call from a company that wanted to hire him.

                  EG. John met someone he knew in the subway.

where - reference to place

                  EG. John wanted to go home where he felt comfortable.

when - reference to time

                  EG. Doris thought back to her childhood when she was happy.

why - reference to reason

                  EG. Bob wanted to know why she hit him.