Relativization in Swedish

Abstract

Relativization is a widespread syntactic and pragmatic strategy, found in such di­ verse languages as Arabic and Korean, Nahuatl and German (The Chicago Which Which Hunt 1972). It is a process of modifier formation producing relative clauses (RC), which can serve several pragmatic functions, such as supplying new informa­ tion, emphasis, cohesion etc. RCs have been much studied and they still offer intere­ sting linguistic insights. Alongside the obviously common features many differences in detail can be observed even among closely related languages. The differences as well as the similarities can be of a syntactic or a stylistic nature. Out of the many in­ teresting aspects of RC structure and usage a closer look will be taken only at the choice of the linking word and some rules governing its place and function.