Agreement in Turkish relative clauses

2022-11-01
In this chapter I propose an explanation for why oblique objects in Turkishpattern with canonical, accusative-marked objects in relativization out of activeconstructions, but with subjects in relativization out of passive constructions. Ipropose that this is because the choice of the relativizing suffix in Turkish relativeclauses should be viewed as a consequence of complementizer agreement. I arguethat C surfaces as -(y)An when the valuation of its uninterpretable features is aresult of agreement with a single goal, and that it surfaces as -DIK when it undergoessuccessful agreement with multiple goals. This analysis derives the atypicalbehaviour of oblique objects in relativization out of a passive, as well as the moregeneral contrast between canonical subject relative clauses, which require -(y)An,and canonical non-subject relative clauses, which require -DIK. In addition, theanalysis proves correct in deriving a number of exceptional configurations, wherethe verb of the relative clause is affixed with -(y)An rather than with -DIK, eventhough a non-subject is relativized.
Citation Formats
M. Gracanın Yüksek, Agreement in Turkish relative clauses. 2022.