Universal #1197

Legacy number: 1197

 Number  1193
 Original  If the head of a restrictive relative clause does function as the subject of the restricting clause then no personal pronoun will be present in the subject of the restricting clause.
 Standardized  IF the head of a restrictive relative clause functions as the subject of the restricting clause, THEN no personal pronoun will be present in the subject of the restricting clause.
 Keywords  restrictive relative clause, subject, personal pronoun, head
 Domain  syntax
 Type  implication
 Status  achronic
 Quality  absolute?
 Basis  languages in Keenan 1974
 Source  Keenan 1974: 305

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Discussion
Notes
Yet the one major position in which personal pronouns are not present is the subject position of the main verb of the restricting clause. Hausa (Chadic, Afro-Asiatic), Yoruba (Defoid, Benue-Congo), and Urhobo (Edoid, Benue-Congo; related to Yoruba) would appear to be counterexamples to this claim. However, in Keenan & Comrie 1977 [1972], it is argued that the subject pronouns present in the restricting clause is simply a verb agreement which cooccurs with full NP subjects in simplex sentences, and so does not count as as independently determinable subject.
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
Yet the one major position in which personal pronouns are not present is the subject position of the main verb of the restricting clause. Hausa (Chadic, Afro-Asiatic), Yoruba (Defoid, Benue-Congo), and Urhobo (Edoid, Benue-Congo; related to Yoruba) would appear to be counterexamples to this claim. However, in Keenan & Comrie 1977 [1972], it is argued that the subject pronouns present in the restricting clause is simply a verb agreement which cooccurs with full NP subjects in simplex sentences, and so does not count as as independently determinable subject.