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Interrogative pronoun and the complementiser in embedded clauses
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Interrogative pronouns can all be used to introduce embedded questions. In that case, they may appear with a subset of the following complementisers:

  • the clitic complementiser 't
  • the interrogative complementiser oft / as
  • the default complementiser dat

On the clitic complementiser, see also double complementisers and reduction of the complementiser dat to /t/. In addition, a subset of interrogative pronouns may be used to introduce free relative clauses. A smaller subset of interrogative pronouns may be used to introduce plain (that is, non free) relative clauses. See also relative clauses and free relative clauses.

Some but not all interrogative pronouns and interrogative phrases are compatible with the clitic complementiser. Some but not all interrogative pronouns and interrogative phrases are compatible with the interrogative complementiser oft / as. Some but not all interrogative pronouns and interrogative phrases are compatible with the default complementiser dat that. Only the default complementiser dat that appears in main clause elliptical questions.

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More details about the interrogative pronoun and the complementiser in embedded clauses can be found by following the corresponding links:

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