DMW – Being Taught that We may Teach

A DMW (Dependent Marker Word) is a word that begins or marks out a clause as a dependent clause. Consider this clause:

Jim drove his car over the bridge.

This is just a simple independent clause; but when a DMW is added to it, it becomes a dependent clause.

When Jim drove his car over the bridge…

The word “when” is a DMW and makes this clause dependent. It is called “dependent” because it must be attached to an independent clause in order for it to function as a complete thought (it is dependent on an independent clause). There are two kinds of DMWs:

subordinating conjunctions, and
relative pronouns.

The important point is this:

When the DMW is an subordinating conjunction, then the clause is functioning adverbially.
When the DMW is a relative pronoun, the clause is acting adjectivally.

Here is a list of common subordinating conjunctions:

after, although, if, unless, as, inasmuch, until, as if, in order that, when, as long as, lest, whenever, as much as, now that, where, as soon as, provided (that), wherever, as though, since, while, because, so that, before, than, even if, that, how, till ( or ’til), even though, though

There are only six relative pronouns: who, whom, whose, which, that, what. You can also add “-ever?” to some of these and they are still relative pronouns; e.g. whoever, whichever, etc.

Greek:

οτι is a common DMW.

Hebrew:

אשר and כי are common DMWs.

Greek:

Hebrew:

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