Chapter Two Literature Review
2.1 Definition of Attributive Clause
In English, it is pretty common that a clause is used as an attribute to modify nouns or pronouns in the main sentence. This clause is called attributive clause. The noun or pronoun that the attributive clause modifies is called antecedent. An attributive clause is always introduced by a relative which can be classified into two types, relative pronouns (that, which, who, whom, whose, as) and relative adverbs (why, where, when). The relative acts as a constituent in the clause instead of the antecedent. Relative pronouns serve as subjects, objects, and occasionally as predicates in clauses. Relative adverbs mainly act as adverbials in clauses. Sometimes, the structure of a preposition plus a relative pronoun can be equal to a relative adverb. We also call these clauses relative clauses or adjective clauses.
So far, many scholars in linguistics have come up with definitions to attributive clause or relative clauses. Lapalombara (1976) defines attributive clauses as subordinate clauses that modify a noun or nominal, functionally equivalent to an adjective modifier. Keenan and Comrie (1977) claim that a syntactic object could be a relative clause as long as a larger set is specified, and then it is restricted to some subset by a restricting sentence. The restricting sentence should be true and the larger set is referred to as the domain of relativization. They add that “the domain of relativization is expressed in surface structure by the head NP, and the restricting sentence by the restricting clause, which may look more or less like a surface sentence depending on the language” (Keenan & Comrie 1977: 63). Taking “a T-shirt that Lucy likes the most” for example, “T-shirt” (NP) is the domain of relativization and “Lucy likes the most” is the restricting clause. Quirk (1985) proposes that the relative clauses are those which are connected to the main sentences through relatives. Relatives could indicate antecedents and function as a part of the relative clauses. Andrews (1985) puts forward a more linguistically universal definition, defining the relative clause as a clause which modifies all sentence constituents except itself in a subordinate position. Also, this clause and the modified constituents must be semantically consistent.
Table 4.1 The basic information of research corpus
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2.2 Classification of Attributive Clause
Just as different scholars define attributive clause differently, different scholars also classify attributive clause from different points of view. For example, Sheldon (1974) divided the attributive clause into four types (SS, SO / OS, OO) according to whether the clause is embedded into the subject position or object position in the main sentence. Here are the examples of them.
(1) SS：The girl (who wears a blue skirt) is my sister Mary. (2) SO：The skirt (that my sister bought yesterday) is really beautiful. (3) OS：I admire the girl (who performed at the theater just now). (4) OO：Mary gave me back the key (that I lost).
Keenan and Comrie (1977) divided attributive clauses into the following six types according to the constituent that the relative functions as in the clause.
Usually, Chinese grammarians of English agree that English attributive clause can be classified into two types: defining attributive clause and non-defining attributive clause. This classification is based on the function played by attributive clause and the form of it. This thesis also adopts this classific
