Datapoint Sri Lankan Malay/Subject relative clauses

The Colombo and Kandy area dialects have a relative pronoun (nya- prefixed to the verb), whereas the Kirinda dialect does not. The head noun always occurs to the right of the relative clause.

Values

Zero and gap Frequency: 70.0%

Example 66-104:
Jalan spanjang elari (aða) ayang baisikal attu ring tabuntur kinna emaati (aða).
[Jalan
[road
spanjang
along
e-lari
asp-run
(aða)]
(aux)]
ayang
chicken
baisikal-attu-ring
bicycle-indf-ins
tabuntur-kinna
hit-pass
e-maati
asp-die
(aða).
(aux)
The chicken which ran along the road was hit by a bicycle and died.
Example 66-106:
Java aromong gulputi Kirindena atibalek.
[Java
[Malay
ar-omong]
prs-speak]
gulputi
white.person
Kirinde-na
Kirinda-dat
ati-balek.
fut-return
The white person that speaks Malay will return to Kirinda.
Confidence:
Certain

Verbal affix Frequency: 30.0%

Example 66-105:
Jalanka nyalari ayang baisikal atu ka terbuntur su matimati.
[Jalanka
[road.in
nya-lari]
rel-run]
ayang
chicken
baisikal-atu
bicycle-indf
ka
by
terbuntur
hit
su-matimati.
pst-die
The chicken which ran along the road was hit by a bicycle and died.

Source: Saldin 1996

Confidence:
Certain