Agreement in Turkish relative clauses

Abstract

AbstractThe suffix that marks the verb of a Turkish relative clause depends on the relativized constituent: if it is the subject, the suffix is -(y)An, if it is a non-subject, the suffix is -DIK. However, sometimes the relativization of non-subjects—e.g. oblique objects in passive constructions—results in the suffix -(y)An. The chapter accounts for these facts in terms of complementizer agreement, arguing that the choice of the suffix depends on how many goals value the uninterpretable Op- and φ-features on C. If C enters (a) successful Agree relation(s) with a single goal, the relative clause is marked by -(y)An. If C enters (a) successful Agree relation(s) with more than one goal, the suffix is -DIK. The analysis derives the difference between subject and non-subject relative clauses; it also extends to cases in which the relativized constituent is not the subject, but the relative clause is nevertheless marked by -(y)An.