Two Types of Unlocalizable Relativizer in English Restrictive Relative Constructions

Abstract

Analyses are offered for two types of restrictive relative constructions in which the semantic function of the relativizer cannot be satisfactorily localized to a single nominal expression that heads a complex noun phrase. From a discourse-functional observation that such irregular relative constructions convey certain semantic relations which are to be best materialized syntactically in clause juxtaposition, two raising processes are proposed which derivationally relate the relativizer to an intended semantic antecedent. It is argued that these processes provide a conceptual basis for a structure-building strategy that can be utilized in realizing semantic relations in syntactic structure.