Syntactic Theory

Wh-movement in the Relative Clause

A clause modifies a noun and specifies its reference, is called a relative clause.

When the wh-phrase has the function of introducing a relative clause we call it a relative pronoun.

Case:

a) I met the man_i [cp whom_i [ip he said that you had seen t_i at the party]].

The embedded clause is not complement, it is not selected by the N and they can be omitted. It functions, rather, as modifiers of the N which they follow.

Exercise for Wh-movement in the Relative Clause

Please press here to start the next step: Wh-movement in the Subordinate Clause