The following is a suggestion for how to describe relative clause formation in a language. It provides the subdivision of the description and a checklist.

Preconditions

Elementary information on the language

1. Names
2. Genetic affiliation
3. Ethnographic setting

Clause structure

In the simple declarative verbal clause:

• basic order of main constituents
• indexing on finite verb
• case-marking on actants and adjuncts
• pronominal or zero representation of anaphoric items.

Attribution

Are there the following types of attribution:

• adjective attribution
• adverbial attribution
• nominal attribution
• clausal attribution: adnominal substantival clauses?

For each of the above:

• order of attribute w.r.t. head
• formal marking of attribution

Determination

1. Main determiners combining with relative constructions
2. position of determiner w.r.t. head (apart from relative constructions)

Subordination and nominalization

Enumerate the set of strategies for the formation of substantive clauses and nominalizations. For each strategy:

• How is the substantive clause subordinated?
• Which kinds of reduction / symptoms of nominalization occur in the subordinate clause?
• How is it treated as an NP in the matrix?

Dependent content interrogatives

• set of interrogative pronouns
• subordination and interrogative pronoun position

Orientation

How are deverbal nouns and adjectives (participles) oriented towards

• subject
• direct object
• local complement or adjunct
• instrumental adjunct?

Relative constructions

The useful relative order of the following two subsections depends on the primary category of the relative clause: If it is a substantival, free and adverbial relative clauses are basic and to be treated first. If it is an adjectival, attributive relative clauses are basic and to be treated first.

Free and adverbial relative clauses

Formal construction

Are there

1. light-headed relative clauses
2. formal-head relative constructions
3. headless relative clauses?

For each of the above:

1. forms of subordination and nominalization
2. form of empty place formation and orientation, for each relativizable syntactic function, including adverbial relative clauses
3. determination of relative construction
4. syntactic functions of relative construction in main clause: possibilities, marking
5. position of relative construction w.r.t. main clause.

Indifferent relative clauses

Headed relative clauses

Enumerate the set of existent strategies. For each strategy:

1. forms of subordination and nominalization
2. form of attribution
3. form of empty place formation and orientation, for each relativizable syntactic function
4. determination of relative construction; formal distinction between restrictive and non-restrictive attribution
5. syntactic functions of relative construction in main clause: possibilities, marking
6. position of relative construction w.r.t. main clause.

Functions of relative clauses

1. Headed and free relative constructions as main predicate:
• subsumption under concept
• equation.
2. Free relative clauses in pseudo-cleft sentences
3. Formation of cleft-sentences; differences with pseudo-cleft sentences and relative constructions.