Die linke Peripherie von Relativsätzen

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Helmut Weiß
• Subject Area: General and Comparative Linguistics, Experimental Linguistics, Typology, Non-European Languages
• Term: from 2011 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 202630811

The primary aim of the project LIP is to provide an analysis of the structure of the left periphery of relative clauses. Thereby, we will focus on the characteristics of relative clause introducing elements, as well as on the interactions between the latter and the head noun. Within the first period we were concerned with 1) the distribution of w-/d-relative pronouns and relative complementizers in German dialects as well as with 2) agreement (mis)matches between (i) the head noun, (ii) the element that introduces the relative clause and (iii), the finite verb within the relative clause. Besides, we were able to show that in dialects relative clauses are generally introduced by a relative complementizer (wo/was) and that the relative operator can either be represented by a gap, a relative pronoun or by a resumptive pronoun, respectively. When one takes free relatives into account which in addition to a wh-RP often allow for the complementizer dass, an interesting correlation can be observed: d-relative pronouns can only be combined with complementizers that are characteristic/specific for relative clauses, whereas whrelative pronouns can only be combined with complementizers that are not specific for relative clauses.Within the second period we aim to further elaborate on the interactions between relative operators and relative complementizers in a systematic way, investigating the specific structure of these interactions. Furthermore, we will extend our focus by a typological component. This means we will further examine lexical elements occurring at the left periphery of relative clauses in order to find out in which combination(s) they can occur, i.e., +/- relative pronoun (d- vs. wh-pronoun), +/- relative complementizer. The languages we will look at are (inter alia) German, Polish, Italian, and English. In this regard we aim to cooperate with the projects ROM and TYP. Additionally, the comparison with other constructions (as clefts and complement clauses) that are often regarded as structurally identical or (very) similar, should shed some light on the structural properties of relative clauses, e.g. regarding opacity conditions on movement, binding possibilities etc. Another focus of the project is the interaction with the head noun: next to agreement phenomena we will also look at semantic effects, namely binding/coreference with `co-agreeing elements as reflexive and possessive pronouns.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• Subproject of: FOR 1783: Relative Clauses