Relative Clause Construction in Dobbi

Abstract

This article delineates the construction of relative clauses in Dobbi, a member of the Gurage language family, predominantly spoken in the western highlands of Butajira town, 135 kilometers southwest of Addis Ababa. Dobbi, being one of the less studied and documented languages within the Gurage language family, necessitates further study. In this investigation, no explicit theoretical framework is employed; rather, data analysis is guided solely by a descriptive standpoint. The data utilized for the examination was acquired through the process of elicitation from individuals who are native speakers of the language. Within the language, both headed and headless relative clauses find application. The introduction of the pronominal relativizer element, recognized as jә-, occurs in the relative clauses construction. By its positioning before the noun that is to be modified, the headed relative clause is classified as prenominal. In relation to both headed and headless relative clause constructions, it is observed that subjects, direct and indirect objects, obliques, and possessors are eligible for relativization. Dobbi employs jә- morpheme in the process of relativizing perfective structures. However, when it comes to the relativization of imperfective verbs, it does not rely on any overt morpheme, resulting in zero marking. Moreover, in negative relative verbs, the language does not utilize any overt relativizer.