In all languages, a relative pronoun is a DMW; i.e. it introduces a dependent clause. Who, whom, which, that, what, and whose are relative pronouns. more
A relative pronoun is one of the two kinds of DMWs. When the DMW is a relative pronoun, it indicates that the dependent clause is most likely adjectival.
Greek:
The relative pronoun is declined for number, case, and gender. It is distinguished from the article by reason of the fact that it always has a rough breathing mark which the article usually does not. Study chapter 14 in BBG.
|
Masculine |
Feminine |
Neuter |
|
| Nominative singular |
ὅς |
ἥ |
ὅ |
| Genitive singular |
οὗ |
ἧς |
οὗ |
| Dative singular |
ᾧ |
ᾗ |
ᾧ |
| Accusative singular |
ὅν |
ἥν |
ὅ |
| Nominative plural |
οἵ |
αἵ |
ἅ |
| Genitive plural |
ὧν |
ὧν |
ὧν |
| Dative plural |
οἷς |
αἷς |
οἷς |
| Accusative plural |
οὕς |
ἅς |
ἅ |
Hebrew:
The word אֲשֶׁר is the relative pronoun in Hebrew; see here page 8(h) or this video. It usually follows the noun it modifies and introduces a relative clause. Its translation depends on the noun:
- if the noun is a place, it means “where”
- if the noun is a person, it means “who” or “whom”
- if the noun is an object, it means “that” “what” or “which”
- אֲשֶׁר can also be used to introduce a causal clause; see p98.
|
הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה עוֹמֵד עָלָיו |
|
the-place where you are-standing on-it |
|
the place on which you are standing (cf resumptive) or the place where you are standing |
|
וַיָּבֹא אַחְאָב אֶל־בֵּיתֹו סַ֣ר וְזָעֵף עַל־הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר אֵלָיו נָבֹות הַיִּזְרְעֵאלִי |
|
And-he-went-in Ahab to_his-house resentful and-angry on_the-word that_had-spoken to-him Naboth the-Jezreelite |
|
So Ahab went into his palace resentful and angry because of the answer Naboth the Jezreelite gave him |
Sometimes there is no antecedent:
|
כִּי יָדַעְתִּי אֵת אֲשֶׁר־תְּבָרֵךְ מְבֹרָךְ וַאֲשֶׁר תָּאֹר יוּאָר |
|
For I-know [DO] whom_you-bless is-blessed and-whom you-curse will-be-cursed. |
|
For I know that whomever you bless will be blessed, and whomever you curse will be cursed. |
In poetry, the letter shin ש all by itself functions as a relative pronoun; see §36.